Wed, July 08, 2026
IOC provisionally lifts suspension of Russian Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee has provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), which was implemented in 2023, since the Russian committee no longer has, as its members, any regional sports organisations in territories falling under the jurisdiction of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine. The ROC previously included sports organisations from Russian occupied parts of Ukraine as if they were part of Russia, violating the Olympic Charter. The ROC has now confirmed that it does not and will not conduct any activities in these territories.
This development means the IOC’s “recommended conditions of participation for International Federations (IFs) and international sports event organisers, as they relate to Russian athletes and teams, including protective measures, are no longer applicable.” These recommendations were introduced after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and included measures such as only allowing particular neutral athletes eligibility and implementing safeguards. Simply put, the IOC recommended that IFs and international sports events organisers not allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in international competition and then later recommended that these athletes could return as Individual Neutral Athletes, an athlete who competes internationally without representing their country.
However, following this update, IFs can decide their own eligibility rules for Russian athletes, separately from the IOC. It was already decided in May this year that the IOC will no longer place such recommended restrictions on Belarusian athletes, Belarus being Russia’s ally. Also at the discretion of each IF and international sports event organiser is whether they decide to host events in Russia, invite Russian government members and display the Russian flag and play its anthem. However, the IOC will not be organising IOC events in Russia or inviting Russian government members to events. A decision on the latter regarding the flag and anthem will be made by the IOC at a later stage.
All Russian athletes returning to international competition must meet relevant anti-doping requirements and demonstrate best practice as outlined by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). For example, Russian athletes returning to international competition must be part of a national (Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) / ROC) anti-doping programme, delegated to the International Testing Agency (ITA). Additionally, newly returning athletes must have been tested multiple times prior to their return.
Since RUSADA was deemed non-compliant by WADA again in 2019 because Russian authorities intentionally altered and deleted inconsistencies in the Moscow Laboratory's data and testing records, violating the critical conditions of RUSADA's 2018 reinstatement, should RUSADA still be considered non-compliant by WADA in 2028 prior to the LA28 Olympic Games, the IOC will instruct the ITA to ensure that all qualified Russian athletes have been subject to independent testing following the same approach.
The IOC still strongly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine within its statement, highlighting that it “established a Solidarity Fund for Ukraine so that the athletes have support to overcome the tremendous challenges they continue to face.” This includes providing travel support, training facilities, accommodation, equipment and uniforms, which it will continue to implement.
“The IOC recognises that an athlete’s participation in international competition should not be limited by the involvement of their government in a war or conflict,” but the debate continues as to whether Russia should be reinstated. Some IFs such as World Aquatics, International Gymnastics Federation, International Judo Federation, International Fencing Federation and International Weightlifting Federation already allow Russian athletes to compete under neutral status. Others, such as World Athletics, International Luge Federation and International Biathlon Union still take a strong stance against doing so, though this may possibly change now that the IOC has lifted recommended restrictions.
Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, has previously accused the IOC of playing “into the hands of aggressors” by disqualifying Ukrainian athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych for wearing a helmet that paid tribute to athletes who had lost their lives in the war. “Sport shouldn’t mean amnesia, and the Olympic movement should help stop wars, not play into the hands of aggressors,” he said.
“I am utterly appalled with today’s IOC decision,” Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, said. “The Government has been consistently clear that the Russian state should not be represented in international sport while the illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues. We continue to stand in solidarity with Ukraine…
It is also a fact that Russia’s flagrant disregard for anti-doping regulations makes a mockery of their participation in future events. Athletes from around the world must be able to turn up to events confident that they are competing on a level playing field.”
Separately, Russia had also been banned from qualifying for the 2022 and 2026 men’s World Cups and the 2023 Women’s World Cup. However, following the IOC's update, world football governing body, FIFA, immediately followed up by revealing that it will now also review Russia’s exclusion from the World Cup.
“Fifa has been made aware of the decision taken by the IOC to provisionally lift the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee,” a FIFA spokesperson said…
FIFA will analyse the decision before deciding on next steps in coordination with the relevant stakeholders.”
As of July 2026, the International Tennis Federation, supported by the Association of Tennis Professionals and Women’s Tennis Association Tours, allows Russian and Belarusian players to compete but not under their countries’ flags.
The IOCs full statement can be found here.
