IOC Lifts Belarus Athlete Restrictions

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - The International Olympic Committee on Thursday withdrew its recommendation for restrictions on Belarusian athletes, allowing them to compete in international events under their national flag and anthem, including in team sports and qualifiers for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The IOC Executive Board announced the decision on May 7, stating that the National Olympic Committee of Belarus is in good standing and complies with the Olympic Charter. Previously, since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the IOC had recommended barring athletes and officials from both countries. Belarus permitted Russian forces to use its territory as a staging ground for the invasion. This led to limited participation by Belarusian athletes as Individual Neutral Athletes at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, where they competed without national symbols. A total of 17 Belarusians took part in Paris, including trampolinist Ivan Litvinovich, who won gold and defended his Tokyo title. Combined with Russians, athletes from the two nations earned five medals in Paris.

The IOC emphasized its commitment to separating...