The International Olympic Committee has provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, paving the way for Russian athletes and teams to return to international competitions, including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The suspension, in place since October 2023, was imposed when the Russian Olympic body incorporated regional sports councils from occupied regions of Ukraine. The IOC noted that a previous ban related to systematic doping had already ended.
Because the qualification period for the 2028 Los Angeles Games has started, the IOC stated that all athletes must be offered equal access to competition. As a result, the committee has advised Olympic sports bodies to end a three-year program that vetted Russians for neutral status ahead of qualifying events. This move comes two months after the IOC lifted restrictions for Russia's ally, Belarus.
Despite the provisional lifting of the ban, the IOC has not yet approved letting Russian athletes and teams compete with their flag, colors, or anthem. The committee said that decision will come at an appropriate time. Russian athletes previously competed as neutrals at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games. The next Olympic competition is the 2026 Youth Summer Games in Dakar, Senegal, opening October 31.