IOC provisionally lifts suspension of Russian Olympic Committee
LAUSANNE, Switzerland/MOSCOW – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee that had been in effect since October 2023.
The IOC Executive Board approved the reinstatement at its meeting on Tuesday.
“The decision was taken following a thorough analysis by the IOC’s Legal Affairs Commission, considering that the ROC no longer includes as its members any regional sports organizations in territories falling under the jurisdiction of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine,” the IOC said in a statement.
“IOC will take a decision in relation to the display of the Russian flag, anthem, colours or any identifications for the Olympic Games at the appropriate time,” the statement added.
The IOC said it will continue to “not organize IOC events in Russia or invite Russian government or state officials to its events”.
In a social media post, Russian Sports Minister and ROC President Mikhail Degtyarev said the IOC’s decision will accelerate the return of Russian athletes to international competition.
Degtyarev said the IOC had also withdrawn its March 2023 recommendations requiring Russian athletes to compete under neutral status and barring Russian teams from international events.
He said neutrality checks on Russian athletes had been abolished and the IOC had lifted its recommendation against staging international competitions in Russia. Returning athletes will be tested by the International Testing Agency until the Russian Anti-Doping Agency is reinstated, he added.
Degtyarev said the decision was the result of sustained legal and diplomatic efforts by Russia’s Sports Ministry and the ROC and would encourage international sports federations to restore the participation rights of Russian athletes.
He said more than 20 international federations already allow Russian junior athletes to compete under the national flag and anthem, while 10 federations have removed restrictions on all Russian athletes.
“The IOC’s decision will significantly speed up this process,” Degtyarev said, adding that Russia is preparing for the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Senegal and qualification for the 2028 Summer Olympics in the United States.
He noted that the IOC would decide at a later stage on the use of Russia’s flag, anthem and other national symbols at the Olympic Games, while maintaining its policy of not holding IOC events in Russia or inviting Russian government officials to such events.
