LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Athletes from Belarus should once again compete with their full national identity and not be vetted for neutral status, the International Olympic Committee said on Thursday.
Though the advice to sports governing bodies does not yet apply also to Russia, it seemed to point toward being closer to ending Russia’s isolation in Olympic circles during its war on Ukraine.
One barrier to Russia’s return is an ongoing World Anti-Doping Agency investigation into recent reports implicating Russian anti-doping agency official Veronika Loginova.
The IOC said its executive board noted “with concern the recent information” being looked at by WADA, without naming Loginova.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus had to be approved as neutrals who did not support the war for individual events at the 2024 Paris Olympics and February’s Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. A total of 32 athletes competed in Paris, combining to win five medals including one gold in trampoline by an athlete from Belarus.
“The IOC reaffirms that athletes’ participation in international competition should not be limited by the actions of their governments, including involvement in a war or conflict,” the Olympic body said.
The IOC noted the qualification period for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics “starts this summer.”
The Russian Olympic Committee has been suspended by the IOC since October 2023 for incorporating regional sports bodies in illegally occupied eastern Ukraine.
“Whilst the ROC has held constructive exchanges with the IOC on its suspension,” the IOC said, “it remains suspended while the IOC Legal Affairs Commission continues to review the matter.”
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AP Winter Olympics at https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
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