Russian athletes will compete only as neutrals at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, even if a peace deal is reached with Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed.
IOC Position
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said the current restrictions would remain in place. Russian athletes will not compete under their national flag, anthem or official representation. The same rules also apply to athletes from Belarus.
“At this stage, nothing would change,” Coventry said, underlining that participation will remain strictly individual and neutral.
Background To The Ban
Russia and Belarus were banned from international sport following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In September, the IOC ruled that athletes from both countries could return at the Milano Cortina Games under neutral status.
However, athletes must meet strict eligibility criteria. Those with links to the military or state security services will not be allowed to compete.
Wider Olympic Changes
Coventry also pointed to broader shifts in how the Olympics are hosted. She said staging the Games across multiple cities, as Italy will do with Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, could become “the new normal,” helping reduce costs and pressure on host nations.
The Milano Cortina Winter Olympics will run from February 6 to February 22, with athletes from around the world competing across venues in northern Italy.
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