IOC lifts suspension of Russian Olympic Committee, clearing path for LA 2028 but keeping flag ban
The International Olympic Committee provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee on Tuesday, allowing Russian athletes and teams to return to international competitions and Olympic qualifiers for Los Angeles 2028. The flag and anthem ban remains in place, with no decision yet on their use at the Games.
Suspension lifted after three years
The International Olympic Committee’s executive board provisionally ended the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee on Tuesday, reversing a measure imposed in October 2023. The decision allows Russian athletes and teams to return to international competitions and Olympic qualifying events for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Games. The IOC said the move followed confirmation that the ROC no longer includes regional sports organisations from territories under the jurisdiction of Ukraine’s National Olympic Committee, namely Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. The ROC also pledged not to conduct activities there.
Flag and anthem still off limits
While the suspension is lifted, the IOC has not decided whether Russia will be permitted to display its flag, colours or national anthem at the Games. Those symbols remain banned, as they were during the Paris 2024 and Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics, where Russian athletes competed as neutrals. The IOC stressed that its condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is unchanged and that it will continue to support Ukraine’s Olympic community.
We don’t condone any wars, including this one. We will continue to support Ukraine like we have since this started. But I don’t believe athletes should pay the price.
Moscow welcomes the move
Russian Minister of Sport Mikhail Degtyarev hailed the decision as a signal that the Olympic movement should remain free from politics. He said Russia plans to take part in qualifiers for LA 2028 and called the reinstatement a green light for international federations to restore the rights of all Russian athletes. At the Tokyo 2020 Games, Russia fielded over 300 athletes and won 71 medals; at Paris 2024, only 32 Russians and Belarusians competed as neutrals, with no team events allowed.
A step-by-step path back
The IOC’s move is the latest in a series of gradual readmissions. In September 2025, the International Paralympic Committee readmitted Russia and Belarus as full members. In December 2025, the IOC urged federations to allow Russian and Belarusian youth athletes to compete. Earlier in May 2026, the IOC recommended lifting all restrictions on Belarusian athletes, a step that drew a categorical protest from Ukraine’s NOC. Ukraine has not yet commented on Tuesday’s decision.
- Russia invades Ukraine; Belarus used as a military staging ground.
- IOC recommends banning Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from events.
- IOC suspends Russian Olympic Committee for recognising regional councils in occupied Ukraine.
- Russia loses appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the IOC suspension.
- Russian and Belarusian athletes compete as neutrals at Paris 2024; no team events allowed.
- International Paralympic Committee readmits Russia and Belarus as full members.
- IOC urges federations to readmit Russian and Belarusian youth athletes.
- IOC provisionally lifts suspension of Russian Olympic Committee.
What comes next
Individual international sports federations will now decide whether to admit Russian athletes and teams to their events. The IOC said it will closely monitor the ROC’s activities and reserves the right to take further measures if necessary. The organisation also reiterated that it will not organise events in Russia or invite Russian government officials to its events.
