Russian Athletes to Compete Under Neutral Flag at 2026 Winter Olympics with Strict Conditions

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Friday that Russian athletes will be permitted to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy under a neutral flag, provided they satisfy specific criteria.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry indicated that the committee would adopt a similar strategy to that employed for the Paris Olympics, where Russian athletes competed solely as individuals and under a neutral banner.

At the Paris Games, participants were also required to demonstrate that they did not openly support the war in Ukraine and had no connections to the military, following the restrictions imposed after the invasion in 2022.

The IOC’s announcement, made during a meeting in Milan on Friday, had been anticipated by many.

«I believe our movement will benefit the most from including representation from all athletes,» said Coventry in March after she was elected as the IOC’s leader.

The limited participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in Paris was regarded by the IOC as a positive outcome, as it helped avert potential boycotts from Ukraine and its allies.

The extent of the neutral delegation in 2026 will be determined by individual sports federations, some of which still prohibit Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in their events.