Overview
- IOC leaders revoked their recommendation to restrict Belarusian athletes, stating that competitors and teams from Belarus should no longer face Olympic participation limits.
- Limits on Russian participation remain because the Russian Olympic Committee is still suspended over its claim to sports bodies in occupied Ukrainian regions and due to fresh anti-doping concerns under WADA review.
- The IOC said international federations and national Olympic committees must now apply the decision, which positions Belarus to seek qualification under its flag for LA 2028 with full ceremony and medal-table status.
- At Paris 2024 and at the 2026 Winter Games in Italy, Belarusian athletes could only compete as individual neutrals without national symbols, with 17 in Paris and 7 in Milano-Cortina.
- Russia’s sports leadership criticized the unchanged stance, while some federations, including World Athletics, said their own bans will stay in place until there is tangible progress toward peace.