The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has advised Olympic sports bodies to end a three-year program vetting Russians for neutral status ahead of qualifying events for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Background
The move was expected since the IOC advised two months ago that athletes from Belarus, Russia’s military ally in the full military invasion of Ukraine, should be allowed again to compete with their full national identity.
The IOC eased entry requirements to its own events for Russian athletes and teams while provisionally lifting its suspension since October 2023 of the Russian Olympic Committee.
The IOC did not yet approve letting Russian athletes and teams compete with their flag and anthem. That decision will come “at an appropriate time,” it said.
The next Olympic competition is the 2026 Youth Summer Games in Dakar, Senegal opening Oct. 31.
The IOC said to “address the lack of confidence in the global sporting community relating to the return of Russian athletes to international competition,” those athletes must give multiple doping controls and be part of a recognized testing program.
The IOC said it will continue to “not organize IOC events in Russia or invite Russian government or state officials to its events.”
Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.
