GENEVA (AP) — The IOC on Thursday took a major step toward reintegrating Russia and Belarus into world sport, recommending to governing bodies that each country’s teams and athletes be allowed to compete in international youth competitions with their national flag and anthem fully identified.
The International Olympic Committee said in a statement that athletes have a “fundamental right to access sports around the world and to compete free of political interference or pressure from government agencies.”
I’m sure that message of support for athletes will be welcomed in Russia as well. Israel, where athletes have recently been exposed to discrimination; With less than three years until the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games, there is a risk of facing political headwinds in the United States.
While Russia appears to have made no political or military concessions to Ukraine, the latest Olympic strategy gives Russia a major breakthrough in sports politics.
The IOC’s move is in addition to a small group of athletes from Russia and Belarus competing in the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Games. A neutral individual who has passed the examination. For not publicly supporting the war.
Summit meeting decided
The decision was made in haste. olympic summit — An annual conference chaired by IOC President Kirsty Coventry and inviting key stakeholders from the Olympic community.
“It was recognized that implementation by stakeholders will take time,” the IOC said in a statement, adding that each sport’s governing body would need to decide how to define youth events.
Some sports organizations are likely to face resistance from their national member federations. especially in Europein response to the IOC’s latest recommendation, which still reiterates that Russia should not be chosen to host international events.
The IOC’s latest measures to reduce the isolation of Russia’s sporting world could also apply to its own Youth Olympic Games, to be held in Dakar, Senegal, from October 31 to November 13 next year. He is still officially suspended by the IOC. And currently, nothing can match that national identity.
“The above principles should also apply to the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games and are recommended to be adopted by all governing bodies and international sporting event organizers for their own youth events,” the IOC said.
Prohibition of soccer and track and field events
Russian team is all together excluded from international football, athletics stadium Since the full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian and Belarusian winter sports athletes have I’m starting to go back now It is in a neutral position ahead of the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February.
A small group of athletes from Russia and Belarus competed as neutrals without nationality at the Paris Summer Games Last year, these countries were banned from playing team sports.
A previous attempt to enable a possible return to Russian youth sports in September 2023 met with strong opposition from European football federations, including Ukraine.
European soccer body UEFA has moved to reintegrate Russia’s U-17 team into the competition. rescinded the policy within weeks At least 12 of the 55 member federations have threatened to boycott.
Although Russian soccer teams have been banned from participating in club competitions such as the World Cup and the Champions League for four seasons, Russia’s national soccer bodies have not been suspended by FIFA or UEFA, and their officials are eligible to stand for election.
The IOC warned on Thursday that Russian and Belarusian government officials should continue to be blocked from inviting or accrediting international sporting events and conferences.
“Based on the results of today’s review, the Olympic Summit recognized that athletes, especially youth athletes, should not be held responsible for the actions of governments,” the IOC said.
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AP Winter Olympics https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-Winter-olympics
