The International Olympic Committee has asked sports organizations to allow Belarusian athletes to compete again without being judged as neutrals.
Published May 7, 2026
The International Olympic Committee said Belarusian athletes should once again compete in full national identity and should not be subject to neutral scrutiny.
The recommendations to sports governing bodies have not yet been applied to Russia, but they appear to move Russia closer to ending its isolation in the Olympic world during its war with Ukraine.
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One obstacle to Russia’s return is the ongoing World Anti-Doping Agency investigation into a recent report involving Russian Anti-Doping Agency official Veronika Rozhinova.
The IOC did not name Rozinova, but said its executive board had noted “with concern recent information” being considered by WADA.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics and the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in February, athletes from Russia and Belarus had to be recognized in individual events as neutrals who do not support war. A total of 32 athletes from both countries competed in Paris, winning a total of five medals, including one gold medal in trampoline by an athlete from Belarus.
“The IOC reaffirms that athletes’ participation in international competitions should not be restricted by the actions of national governments, including their involvement in wars or conflicts,” the Olympic body said in a statement on Thursday.
The IOC said the qualification period for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics “will begin this summer.”
The Russian Olympic Committee has been suspended by the IOC from October 2023 for organizing regional sports organizations in illegally occupied eastern Ukraine.
“The Republic of China has engaged in constructive exchanges with the IOC regarding the suspension, which remains suspended while the IOC Legal Affairs Commission continues to consider the matter,” the IOC said.
