The IOC recommends the participation of young Russian athletes in global events under the national flag
Article by Oana Duşmănescu – Published Friday, December 12, 2025, 09:51 / Updated Friday, December 12, 2025 10:17
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided on Thursday to partially reinstate Russia and Belarus, recommending international forums allow youth athletes to compete using their full national identity, including flag and anthem.
Athletes have a “fundamental right to participate in global events and compete without political interference or pressure from governmental organizations,” the IOC said in an official statement.
This message of support for the athletes will be enthusiastically received in Russia and Israel, whose delegates have recently faced boycotts and discrimination at various international competitions.
The IOC's decision comes less than three years before the start of the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, an event that risks being marred by political tensions.
The new strategy for Russia's partial rehabilitation was set out at an Olympic summit, a meeting chaired by IOC chief Kirsty Coventry.
It is highly likely that this IOC recommendation will continue to meet resistance. The International Olympic Committee stressed, however, that Russia will not be given the right to hold international sports competitions.
The first opportunity for the IOC to lift the punishment it imposed on Russia and Belarus after Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 could be next year's Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal, from October 31 to November 13.
Currently, the Russian Olympic Committee is still officially suspended by the IOC and its athletes can only compete under a neutral flag, as will be the case at the Winter Olympics (February 6-22, 2026, Milan-Cortina).
“The above principles should apply to the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games and are recommended for adoption by all governing bodies and organizers of international youth sports events,” the IOC said.
Russian and Belarusian athletes were completely banned from football, athletics and other sports after the military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In winter sports, Russian and Belarusian athletes recently returned with neutral status.
Russians and Belarusians also competed under a neutral flag, without national symbols, at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, where the respective states were, however, banned from participating in team sports.
A previous attempt to facilitate Russia's return to youth competitions met strong opposition from European football federations, including Ukraine's, in September 2023.
UEFA tried to reinstate Russian under-17 teams in its competitions, but abandoned the policy shortly after threats of boycott from at least 12 of its 55 member federations.
