LAUSANNE, Switzerland – Olympic officials announced Thursday they will eliminate all competition restrictions on athletes from Belarus, marking a major policy change in international sports sanctions.
The International Olympic Committee’s decision represents a significant shift from the blanket bans imposed on both Russian and Belarusian competitors since 2022, when Russia launched its military assault on Ukraine using Belarus as a launching point.
The sanctions began on February 24, 2022, when Russian forces invaded Ukraine with Belarus serving as a military staging area. Four days later, the IOC’s executive board urged sports organizations worldwide to prohibit Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from competitions.
Olympic leaders stated they acted “in order to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants” while acknowledging the decision came with a “heavy heart.”
Major sports governing bodies including FIFA and UEFA quickly implemented similar suspensions, removing Russia’s national and club teams from all events indefinitely.
The IOC also revoked Olympic Orders from Russian government officials, including President Vladimir Putin, who had received the movement’s highest honor in 2001.
In October 2023, Olympic officials suspended Russia’s Olympic Committee after it recognized regional councils in Ukrainian territories occupied by Russian forces – Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. The IOC determined this action violated Olympic principles and Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty.
Russia’s challenge to this suspension failed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in February 2024.
During the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, only a small group of screened Russian and Belarusian athletes competed as neutral participants without national symbols or team events.
The International Paralympic Committee restored Russia and Belarus to full membership in September 2025, allowing their participation in the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics.
In December 2025, Olympic officials encouraged sports federations to readmit Russian and Belarusian youth athletes under 23 to international competitions, establishing protocols for the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games.
Limited numbers of Russian and Belarusian athletes again competed as neutrals at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, though team events remained off-limits.
At the Winter Paralympics that March, some Russian para-athletes successfully appealed to compete under their national flag after challenging a ski federation ban. Several countries, including Ukraine, boycotted the opening ceremony in protest of Russia’s full participation.
Thursday’s announcement removes all restrictions for Belarusian competitors, including team sports participation, while Russian athletes continue facing limitations.
