IOC to ban Russia from returning to Winter Olympics, even if war in Ukraine ends

According to Reuters, this was stated by the President of the International Olympic Committee, Kirsten Coventry, in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Ukrinform reports.

According to Coventry, at this stage, nothing will change the IOC's decision, which allows Russian athletes to participate in the February games only as neutral athletes representing themselves, not their country.

The IOC banned Russia and Belarus from participating after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In September, the IOC ruled that Russians and Belarusians competing in Milano Cortina would do so as individual athletes, without a national flag or anthem.

In other comments, Coventry stated that hosting the Olympic Games in multiple cities, as Italy is doing, would become “the new normal,” and that the Milano Cortina Games would serve as a useful benchmark for the future.

The Milano Cortina Games will run from February 6 to 22.

As reported by Ukrinform, the IOC recommends allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international competitions at the youth level.

Photo: IOC/Greg Martin