The IOC plans to change the neutrality rules in the Olympic Charter, which will help Russia

The International Olympic Committee will consider the proposed amendments to the Olympic Charter, which are aimed at significantly strengthening the principle of political neutrality in sport. 

The updated wording is intended to establish the obligation to protect competitions and athletes from any external governmental, cultural, social, or economic influence. 

Committee representatives emphasize that the update to the regulatory framework is intended to fully protect the Olympic Movement from being used for political purposes and from being exploited by third parties. At the same time, the initiative has sparked a wave of criticism among sports commentators and human rights advocates, who see the strengthening of the neutrality provisions as a hidden pretext for simplifying the procedure for the return of Russian representatives to international competitions. 

The organization Global Athlete has openly warned that such steps risk completely undermining trust in the Olympic Movement, as they send the wrong signal about a willingness to ignore systemic doping, the ongoing war, and repeated gross violations of the charter’s principles. As a reminder, the Russian Olympic Committee’s official membership was suspended in the fall of 2023 following the unlawful integration of sports organizations in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories.