US EditionWinter Olympics Now Set to Have Just 13 Russian Athletes and 7 From Belarus Competing
The IOC invited 20 athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under strict neutrality rules after vetting their non-support of military actions, with no national symbols allowed.
- On Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee invited 13 Russian and seven Belarusian athletes to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes at Milano–Cortina 2026 without national colours, flag, or anthem ahead of the Games opening next week on Feb. 6.
- Following IOC guidance after Russia's early-2022 invasion, the Individual Neutral Athlete Eligibility Review Panel vets athletes judged not to support the war or be linked to military agencies.
- Among the invited are Russian figure skaters Petr Gumennik and Adeliia Petrosian, lugers Daria Olesik and Pavel Repilov, and skaters Kseniia Korzhova, Anastasiia Semenova, and Savelii Korostelev.
- Several invited individuals, however, have already been competing and Russia remains excluded from team sports like ice hockey, meaning prominent National Hockey League players and Alexander Ovechkin will not compete at Milano–Cortina.
- Looking ahead, IOC leadership signalled that Kirsty Coventry, IOC President , floated Russia’s possible reinstatement before Los Angeles 2028 despite the Russian Olympic Committee’s ban in October 2023; youth athletes face fewer restrictions at Dakar Youth Olympics.
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IOC Clears 13 Russian Athletes to Compete as Neutrals at 2026 Winter Games
The International Olympic Committee said Tuesday it has cleared 13 Russian athletes to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina as neutrals, marking a limited return for Russian competitors after years of suspension.
Associated Press News
Winter Olympics now set to have just 13 Russian athletes and 7 from Belarus competing
A total of 13 Russian athletes are now set to compete as neutral individuals at the Milan Cortina Olympics after IOC invitations were confirmed for Alpine skiers and lugers.
2026 Olympics set to have just 13 Russian athletes and 7 from Belarus competing
A total of 13 Russian athletes are now set to compete as neutral individuals at the Milan Cortina Olympics after invitations from the IOC were confirmed Tuesday for Alpine skiers and lugers. Four years ago, the Russian team was more than 200 athletes at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, which closed four days before Russia’s full military invasion of Ukraine which led to its exclusion from much of international sports. Seven Belarusian athletes hav…
They will be admitted to the 2026 Winter Olympics only in neutral status.
How Russian and Belarusian Athletes Compete in 2026 Olympics
Athletes from across the world are descending upon northern Italy in preparation of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Most will be competing under their nation’s respective flags when the competition starts on Feb. 6, but that won’t be the case for those hailing from Russia and Belarus. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Olympic hopefuls from those eastern European countries will instead compete as Individual Neutral Athletes. (In French, they are re…
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