The International Olympic Committee is calling for the acceptance of Russian and Belarusian athletes.
A number of bans against the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in major winter sports are still in place. Such bans were imposed in the context of Russia's military incursion into Ukraine and issues related to human rights in Belarus.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is appealing to winter sports federations to allow them to compete, as it is crucial for these athletes to qualify for next year's Winter Olympics according to this.
“They are taking a firm stance on the issue,” — says a source within the International Biathlon Union.
More than three years have passed since Russia launched a full-scale attack on Ukraine. Since then, Russian athletes have been excluded from competitions by major sports organizations such as biathlon, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing races, and the International Ice Hockey Federation. This may lead to Russian and Belarusian athletes not participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics if the situation does not change.
At the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, 15 Russian athletes participated under a neutral flag. The IOC plans to use this model for the 2026 Winter Olympics as well.
However, Russian and Belarusian athletes must participate in selection competitions through their sports federations. Therefore, the IOC is actively negotiating with the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the International Ski Federation (FIS).
“They are not forcing anyone, but they are clearly insisting on the participation of neutral athletes,” — says the source.
“The IOC is very keen on resolving this issue and hopes that federations will soon allow neutral athletes to qualify for the Olympics,” — the source added.
The IOC refers to the success of the Paris-2024 Summer Olympics as a positive experience in its negotiations. President of the International Biathlon Federation, Olle Dalin, confirmed it:
“The IOC believes that a similar approach is possible for the Milan-Cortina Olympics. However, as Russia and Belarus are still excluded from membership, this issue is not a discussion point for us at the moment,” — said Milan-Cortina.
SVT Sport invited the leadership of the IOC for an interview, but they declined to comment due to lack of time. However, the Committee emphasized in its written statement that the neutral athlete model was successful for Paris-2024 and announced that suitable and alternative decisions will be made for the 2026 Olympics.
Abdullah Sayyid
