The International Olympic Committee lifts sanctions against athletes from Belarus. In the future, athletes from the country will be allowed to take part in all international events again under their own flag and with their own anthem, including team competitions, as the IOC leadership decided after consultations in Lausanne.
The restrictions against Russia, however, remain in force. Since Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine began more than four years ago, the IOC has imposed sanctions on both Russia’s and Belarusian athletes. Belarus supports Russia in the war against Ukraine.
Russia is left out
Only individual athletes from both nations were allowed to take part as neutral athletes at the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 and the Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo this year. The IOC is now moving away from this line, at least for Belarus, because in the opinion of the umbrella organization the start of athletes in international competitions “should not be restricted by the actions of their governments, including involvement in a war or conflict”.
The IOC also wanted to clarify its position in time for the start of the qualifying competitions for the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. This means that tennis star Aryna Sabalenka, among others, is likely to play under the Belarusian flag again on the WTA tour.
WADA is investigating Russian Anti-doping system
The IOC justified the ongoing sanctions against Russia by saying that the country’s National Olympic Committee was still suspended for violations of the Olympic Charter. In addition, the IOC takes “Notes with concern the recent information that has led to the World Anti-Doping Agency investigating the Russian anti-doping system”. The IOC therefore first wants to get a better picture of the current situation.