Olympic committee lifts ban on Russia ahead of 2028 L.A. Summer Games

July 8, 2026 Katherine Mosack 2026 Winter Olympics, 2028 Summer Olympics, AIN, anti-doping, athlete eligibility, figure skating, Georgia, Germany, Individual Neutral Athletes, international competition, International Olympic Committee, international sports, Invasion of Ukraine, IOC, Katherine Mosack, LA 2028, legal affairs commission, Los Angeles Olympics, Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, OAN Newsroom, Olympic ban, Olympic community of Ukraine, Olympic eligibility, olympic games, Olympic Movement, Olympic sanctions, Paris Olympics, peace through sport, Poland, provisional reinstatement, ROC, RUSADA, Russia, Russia-Ukraine war, Russian Anti-Doping Agency, Russian athletes, russian flag, Russian national anthem, Russian Olympic Committee, sports governance, State-Sponsored Doping, suspension lifted, Ukraine, US 0


This photograph shows the logo of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) at the entrance of their office in Moscow on October 15, 2024. The head of Russia's Olympic Committee announced his resignation on October 15, 2024, a surprise move that comes as Moscow faces isolation from international sport over its Ukraine offensive. Former fencer, Stanislav Pozdnyakov, a five-time Olympic medallist, said in his resignation letter there were
This photograph shows the logo of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) at the entrance of their office in Moscow on October 15, 2024. (Photo by NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP via Getty Images)

OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
2:56 PM – Wednesday, July 8, 2026

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has provisionally lifted the suspension placed on the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.

The IOC made the announcement in a press release on Tuesday.

Since October 2023, Russian athletes have been banned from competing under their flag or playing their national anthem, though they have been allowed to compete as individual neutral athletes (AIN).

 

In the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, 13 Russian athletes were approved by the IOC to compete as AINs while 30 others — mostly figure skaters — changed their sporting nationalities to represent Poland, Germany, Georgia and other countries.

In the Paris Summer Olympics, 32 athletes from Russia competed as individuals.

Russia faced sanctions over state-sponsored doping beginning in 2015 as well as its invasion of Ukraine beginning in 2022.

 

The suspension on the country was lifted after the IOC’s legal affairs commission determined the body no longer counts regional sports organizations in Ukrainian territory as members.

The committee stressed that the change does not reflect a difference in its opinion on the Russia-Ukraine war, however.

“The IOC took a very clear stance against the invasion, strongly condemning it. This position remains unchanged. More broadly, the IOC condemns wars, armed conflicts and violence that cause human suffering wherever they occur,” the committee stated.

 

“At a time of growing instability and division around the world, the IOC remains committed to promoting peace through sport among people and nations,” the statement continued. “The IOC stands in solidarity with the Olympic community of Ukraine, which the Olympic Movement has supported since the beginning of the war, and will continue to do so.”

It also clarified that “all Russian athletes returning to international competition must meet relevant anti-doping requirements” to address a lack of confidence in the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA). For example, all athletes must be tested multiple times before returning to international sporting events.

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