International Olympic Committee Clears Belarusian Athletes to Compete Under National Flag

The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has lifted its recommended restrictions on Belarusian athletes, allowing them to compete in international sporting events under their national flag, anthem, and state symbols.

The National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine responded immediately with a formal statement of condemnation. During more than four years of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Belarus's support for the war has contributed to the destruction of hundreds of Ukrainian sports facilities and the deaths of more than 600 Ukrainian athletes and coaches, according to ZN.UA on June 26.

The IOC based its decision on the fact that Belarusian competitors have participated as individual neutral athletes in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics without any incidents since 2023. Consequently, the executive board no longer recommends keeping the restrictions in place for them, though the measures against Russia remain active.

The Ukrainian NOC expressed its strong disapproval, stating that the move goes against the basic principles of accountability, fairness, and Olympic values.

“This decision was made at a time when Belarus continues to support the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and remains an accomplice in the war. The territory of Belarus is used for launching missiles and strike drones at Ukrainian cities, as well as for military logistics and support for the Russian army,” the statement said.

The NOC noted that no developments in the military or humanitarian landscape justify returning national symbols to representatives of Belarus.

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War in Ukraine

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“Over more than four years of the full-scale war, Russia, with the support of Belarus, has destroyed hundreds of sports facilities in Ukraine and taken the lives of more than 600 Ukrainian athletes and coaches. Many Ukrainian athletes are currently defending our state with weapons in their hands, giving their own lives for the freedom of Ukraine and the security of the democratic world,” the NOC stated.

Ukraine will keep defending its position: “As long as the war continues and Ukrainians are dying, representatives of states that support Russian aggression cannot be fully represented in the international sports movement under their national symbols.”

Earlier, United World Wrestling (UWW) fully reinstated Russian and Belarusian athletes, allowing them to compete under their national flags and anthems across all age categories. The decision followed a broader trend among international sports federations easing restrictions introduced after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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