IOC lifts limits on one country before LA28 Olympics
As athletes get ready for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games, with qualifications starting this summer, some will be especially excited to represent their country once again.
For many athletes, there’s no greater feeling than winning a medal while proudly wearing their nation’s colors—even though some had to compete under a neutral flag in recent years.
Now, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced plans to lift the ban on Belarusian athletes and teams. Belarus was partially banned after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, since Belarus is a close ally of Russia.
The IOC suggests lifting Belarus’s ban but said that restrictions on Russia should stay. They explained that athletes shouldn’t be punished for their governments’ actions, even during conflicts or wars.
Since March 2023, Belarusian athletes have competed as Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) in many international events, including the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, without any issues.
This is great news for Belarusian athletes. However, the IOC also made it clear that the ban on Russian athletes will remain for now. They said the Belarus Olympic Committee is following the Olympic rules and is in good standing. In contrast, the Russian Olympic Committee is still suspended while the IOC looks into reports about its anti-doping system.
The IOC wants to understand this situation better before making any decisions about Russia’s participation.