IOC to end neutral-status vetting for Russian athletes ahead of 2028 Olympics

sportsJul 7, 202615176

The International Olympic Committee advised Olympic sports federations to end a three-year program that vetted Russian athletes for neutral status ahead of qualifying events for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The IOC eased entry requirements to its own events and said it has provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee that began in October 2023, because the suspension terms tied to incorporation of regional councils from occupied Ukrainian territory no longer apply. Just 32 athletes from Russia and Belarus competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics as approved neutrals and together won five medals, compared with Russia’s more than 300 athletes and 71 medals at Tokyo 2021. The IOC said it has not yet approved allowing Russian athletes and teams to compete under their flag and anthem and that such a decision will come at an appropriate time. To address confidence concerns, the IOC requires those athletes to submit to multiple doping controls and to be included in a recognized testing program. The IOC reiterated it stands in solidarity with the Olympic community of Ukraine and said it will continue not to organize IOC events in Russia or invite Russian government or state officials to IOC events. The next IOC-run Olympic competition is the 2026 Youth Summer Games in Dakar, Senegal, opening October 31, 2026.

The Associated Press

@apnews.com

The IOC eases its entry requirements for Russian athletes ahead of qualifying events for the 2028 Olympics.

304h ago

J.T.7

That's because the IOC is right up there with FIFA in terms of corruption.

Agrippa5

Oh fuck off. Just fuck off.

Steve S1

The IOC will present the obligatory “Peace Prize” to Trump in due course.

Arne Christian Eggen1

They are pissing on the graves of all the Ukrainians who have lost their life in this war. Fuck Russia!😡

Francis Fuselier1

IOC shows its true colors by rewarding aggressor Russia. Remember when they banned FOR LIFE black American athletes for raising their fists on the podium? Besides Russian athletes deserve to fight for their country on the front lines in Ukraine.

Quoting this

Matthias Eberl3

Looking forward to Donald Trump receiving the inaugural IOC Peace Prize.

DEF-G3

IOC sneaking in under cover of the FIFA maelstrom to do their own bullshit.

heejinsoulyves. Kyujin, Sullyoon, Nakyoung, Tzuyu2

Can we get a Netflix limited series about Eteri harassing IOC officials

Mitsi2

LOL the IOC couldn’t just stand by while FIFA got all the “world’s most corrupt sports org” press.

ℳatt

@matttomic.bsky.social

THE WORLD: Surely, if the IOC has banned Russia from the Olympics for invading a fellow IOC member, by any reasonable standards, Israel, and hell maybe even the US, would meet those same definitio-- THE IOC: hey, not sure if you heard but Russia isn't banned anymore, it's all fine, moving on

362h ago

Lord Jeffrey of Nottingham #FBPE 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🇬🇱

@onemoregoodman.bsky.social

The IOC is every bit as corrupt as FIFA. How can they possibly do this when Russia is continuing to kill Ukrainian civilians?

293h ago

atchijov.bsky.social1

Let’s face it… if Trump still in the WH by 2028… the only reasonable thing to do would be boycott the games. And if he is not in WH… maybe host country can force IOC to reverse the decision… And if we really lucky… maybe Ukraine liberate all occupied territories and Putin will burn in the ditch?

Svartmetall1

Emails telling them to fuck off and hang their heads in shame should be directed here: www.olympics.com/ioc/contact-us

Jason C. Cole

@theduckmachine.bsky.social

"FIFA is the most corrupt sporting institution in the world" IOC: "Hold my beer" Russia could compete at LA 2028 Olympics - www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympi...

93h ago

John Grindrod

@grindrod.bsky.social

The IOC, desperate not to be out-corrupted by Fifa, have let Russia back into the Olympics. Meanwhile they’re still only just redistributing the medals won by the Russian women drug cheats from the London 2012 800m final

131h ago

Loam

@voxdulcis.bsky.social

Guess the IOC is cool with Russia still launching drones and missiles into civilian targets in Ukrainian cities.

63h ago

Patrick Matthews

@matthewsp.bsky.social

Counterpoint: fuck Russia, fuck Belarus, and fuck the IOC www.espn.com/olympics/sto...

122h ago

Peteritis Kocinsh/ Big Naturals2

IOC is even lying in their own press release. Utter human trash, the lot that work for IOC.

Kevin 🍅🥫2

Fascinating how it just so happens to coincide with the Olympics Trump is overseeing

&y1

They kinda have to do this though in order to be consistent when they don’t ban the USA from competing despite multiple wars of aggression, human rights violations, extrajudicial killings, and so on.

Alina Pereverzieva 🇺🇦

@perevaa.bsky.social

🤮 The Russian Olympic Committee is temporarily reinstated. The IOC dropped its 2023 neutral-status and team-sport guidance. Each federation will now decide on Russian athletes and events in Russia.

123h ago

Momaw1

Anybody who believes in the spirit of the Olympic Games should walk out of/turn their television off during any event with the Russian flag. The flag of state terrorism and imperial genocide.

cyclingbottle.bsky.social

@cyclingbottle.bsky.social

The IOC has no moral compass. When 🇷🇺 Russia is escalating the war in 🇺🇦 Ukraine by hitting civilian targets (even including sports infrastructure), the IOC decides to lift sanctions. How many times will this organization keep remarking their own incompetence? #Ukraine

63h ago

Shana Bartels

@shanabartels.bsky.social

As soon as the ISU lifted the ban on Russia in figure skating last week, Russia bombed Kyiv worse than it has in years, killing dozens of civilians. I still haven’t even found the emotional energy to do a writeup on that, let alone IOC caving in to a terrorist state with no respect for clean sport

52h ago

Jon

@jonw67.bsky.social

Just when you thought it could get no worse than FIFA, the IOC contemplate letting Russia back into the Olympics. Disgusting.

33h ago

frrms

@frrms.blacksky.app

IOC unsuspending Russia shows me nobody will care when shit ramps up here.

43h ago

Valerie Valkyrie

@beezygrey.bsky.social

I definitely have always thought the IOC should be consistent in banning nations committing genocide, but the answer to their inconsistency was to ban Israel & the US, not to reinstate Russia!

41h ago

Danielle, the Teal Joker ︽✵︽

@likethe309.bsky.social

I would be more up in arms over the IOC thing if it wasn't for the fact that Russia competed in the Paralympics a few months back

42h ago

Josh Manning

@joshmanning.bsky.social

Nothing has changed for Russia, they are even more brutal now. IOC is like, “Okay, great! Come back!” FIFA and IOC among the most corrupt organizations in the world.

32h ago

1 source

apnews.comIOC moves to end neutral status vetting for Russian athletes ahead of 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

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IOC to end neutral-status vetting for Russian athletes ahead of 2028 Olympics

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