The IOC has officially allowed Russian athletes to return to international competitions
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has temporarily lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, which had been in effect since October 2023. The organization has also suspended the recommendations that restricted the participation of Russian athletes and teams in international competitions.
This decision was made following the findings of the IOC’s legal commission. One of the reasons was that the Russian Olympic Committee no longer includes sports organizations from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine among its members and has stated that it does not plan to carry out any activities there.
The IOC noted that the decision is related to the start of qualifying for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles and the need to ensure equal access for athletes to qualifying tournaments.
At the same time, Russian athletes will be able to participate in international competitions only if they comply with all anti-doping requirements set by the IOC, international federations, and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
However, the IOC is not changing its position regarding the hosting of its own events in Russia and will not invite Russian government officials to them. Decisions regarding the use of the flag, national anthem, and state symbols, as well as the hosting of tournaments in Russia, will continue to be made by international sports federations and the organizers of individual competitions.
Source: IOC.
As a reminder, the Spanish national team became the latest quarterfinalist in the 2026 World Cup, narrowly defeating Portugal in a highly anticipated Iberian derby. The outcome of the Round of 16 match was decided by a single goal scored in stoppage time of the second half.
The Belgian national team confidently defeated the United States 4–1 in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
