Russia won’t participate at Winter Olympics even if Ukraine war ends, says IOC

Russian athletes will not be allowed to represent their country at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics even if a peace deal is reached with Ukraine, International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry said in an interview with an Italian newspaper.

Speaking to Corriere della Sera, Coventry said there would be no change to the IOC’s current position regarding Russian participation at the February 2026 Games.

Under existing rules, athletes from Russia and Belarus - may compete only as neutral individuals, without national symbols, flags or anthems.

“At this stage nothing would change,” Coventry said, according to the newspaper, when asked whether a potential peace agreement could lead to Russia being reinstated as a nation.

The IOC banned Russia and Belarus from international sporting events following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While the blanket ban has since been softened to allow limited participation in some competitions, the IOC ruled in September that athletes from both countries who qualify for the Milano Cortina Olympics would do so solely in an individual capacity.

That decision means Russian and Belarusian competitors would appear under a neutral designation and would not be officially linked to their home nations during the Games.

The policy mirrors arrangements used at recent Olympic events, where athletes were permitted to compete provided, they met strict eligibility criteria and did not actively support the war.

Russia has a rich Olympic history, hosting the 1980 and 2014 Games, but in recent years have faced bans and restrictions due to doping and the invasion of Ukraine.

Coventry’s comments come amid ongoing debate within international sport over how long sanctions related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict should remain in place. Some sports federations have argued for a gradual return of Russian athletes, while others have maintained a hard line, citing concerns over fairness, safety and the integrity of competition.

In the same interview, Coventry also addressed the structure of the Milano Cortina Olympics, which will be staged across multiple Italian cities and regions. She said the model of hosting Games in more than one location would become “the new normality” for the Olympic movement.

The Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are scheduled to take place from 6 February to 22 February.

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