IOC provisionally lifts suspension of Russian Olympic Committee

IOC Executive Board Decision

On July 7, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board announced that it had "provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee" (ROC). The decision came after the IOC found that the "ROC no longer includes as its members any regional sports organisations in territories falling under the jurisdiction of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine."

Key points from the IOC EB statement:

• The IOC will "continue to closely monitor the situation relating to any ROC activities."
• The recommended conditions of participation for International Federations (IFs) and international sports event organisers — issued on February 28, 2022, and March 28, 2023, including protective measures — "are no longer applicable."
• Decisions on hosting events and sports competitions in Russia, inviting Russian government or state officials, or displaying the Russian flag, anthem, colours, or other identifications are now "at the discretion of each IF and international sports event organiser."
• The IOC stated it will not organize events in Russia, nor will it invite Russian government or state officials to IOC events.

IOC President's Remarks

Following the announcement, IOC President Kirsty Coventry stated at a press conference that the IOC does not "condone any wars," including Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine. She added that she does not "believe [that] athletes should pay the price," emphasizing that the IOC does not "want to hold athletes accountable for the actions of their government."

Reactions

Ukraine

The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine issued a statement saying it "strongly disagrees" with the IOC EB. Ukrainian officials argued that the decision was:

• "Premature"
• "Unjustified"
• Adopted "without due regard to the objective circumstances, which remain unchanged: the Russian Federation continues its full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine."

Russia

Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev welcomed the decision. In a Telegram post, he stated that Russia's "return to the Olympic family [was] a green light for international federations to reinstate all [Russian] athletes." He added that the "Olympic movement must remain outside [of] politics."

Context and Timing

The IOC's July 7 announcement came just one day after the Russian Federation launched a missile and drone attack on Kyiv. According to AP News, at least 22 people were killed in the bombardment. Russia also launched an earlier attack on Kyiv on July 2, in which 31 people were killed.

Background

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, countries and organizations worldwide imposed penalties on the Russian Federation. Some restrictions were also applied to Belarus.

Key developments in sports sanctions:

• February 2022: The IOC initially ruled that Russian and Belarusian athletes would be unable to participate in the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games and, subsequently, in future IOC events.
• October 2023: The IOC suspended the Russian Olympic Committee after the Russian Federation recognized regional Olympic councils in the Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine — Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.
• Other sports organizations, including FIFA and UEFA, also imposed restrictions on Russia and Belarus following the invasion.