At the 2022 Winter Olympics that preceded the invasion of Ukraine, Russian athletes were already competing under the banner of Team ROC due to Russia’s existing ban over doping violations.
In the latest development, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) executive board has moved to indefinitely suspend the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC). This measure is a direct consequence of the ROC’s defiance in recognizing regional organizations from four Ukrainian territories – Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia – that Russia illegally annexed following its full-scale invasion in 2022.
The IOC considered this recognition a clear violation of the Olympic Charter, disrupting the territorial integrity of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine. As a result of the suspension, the ROC loses its prerogative to function as a National Olympic Committee and is barred from receiving any funding from the Olympic movement.
On whether Russian athletes will compete as neutrals at Paris 2024, the IOC has chosen to defer its decision until what it deems an “appropriate time”. The ROC expressed its disappointment with this suspension, labeling it a regrettable act borne of plain political motivations.
Interestingly, this is not the first time the IOC sanctioned the ROC; Russia’s ban from competing as a nation in athletics dates back to November 2015, when uncovering its state-sponsored doping regime. Although Russia’s doping suspension was briefly lifted in March, the nation will remain banned “for the foreseeable future” thanks to the ongoing war in Ukraine, as assessed by the World Athletics Council.
While pressure has mounted on the IOC to prohibit Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing under a neutral flag since the invasion’s commencement, it encouraged sporting federations to permit athletes from those countries to compete as neutrals in March. However, Ukraine has hinted at potentially boycotting next year’s Games in Paris if Russian and Belarusian athletes are not fully banned.
Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine’s presidential office, hailed the decision as significant, affirming that “sports cannot be out of politics” and stressing Russia’s manipulation of “athletes as propaganda”.
Current IOC sanctions dictate that neither Russia or its ally Belarus can host international sporting events within their respective territories. Moreover, the use of their flags, national anthems, or any other national symbol is strictly prohibited at such events.
Remarkably, UEFA, European football’s governing body, recently scrapped its attempt to re-integrate Russian Under-17 teams into next year’s youth European Championships following opposition from various national football associations. Meanwhile, in March, the All England Club reversed a year-long ban, permitting Russian and Belarusian tennis players to participate at Wimbledon.
