Even Peace Won’t Restore Russia’s Flag at the 2026 Olympics, IOC President Says

Russian athletes will not compete under their national flag at the 2026 Olympic Games even if the war in Ukraine ends with a peace deal, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry said in an interview with Corriere.it.

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the IOC in February 2022 advised international sports bodies to exclude athletes from Russia and Belarus from competitions. A year later, in March 2023, the committee recommended that federations allow Russian athletes to return only in a “neutral” capacity.

In November, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution calling for an Olympic Truce during the 2026 Games. Addressing this, Coventry said the IOC maintains communication with the Olympic committees of both Russia and Israel.

She emphasized that even if a peace agreement is reached after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian athletes would still be barred from representing their country.

“At this stage, nothing will change the decision already taken: neutral athletes on an individual basis,” Coventry said.

In a separate but related move, the International Olympic Committee has signaled a partial easing of restrictions for younger athletes. The IOC confirmed at the 14th Olympic Summit in Lausanne on December 11 that youth competitors from Russia and Belarus will be allowed to take part in international youth-level events under their national flags.

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The guidance applies to athletes holding Russian or Belarusian passports and covers both individual and team competitions. According to the IOC, the step is intended to uphold the neutrality of the Olympic Movement and avoid holding young athletes responsible for the actions of their governments.

At the same time, the committee noted that the practical rollout of this policy will depend on the rules of individual international federations and may not be immediate.

Earlier, Ukrainian officials condemned the International Judo Federation over its decision to permit Russian athletes to compete in forthcoming tournaments while representing the Russian national flag.

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