Belarusian athletes can compete under own flag for LA28 as IOC lifts recommended restrictions

Belarusian athletes can now compete at the LA28 Olympic Games under their own flag after the International Olympic Committee lifted its recommended restrictions on their participation in competitions governed by International Federations and sports event organisers.

Russian and Belarusian athletes were banned from Olympic and Paralympic sport after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 with Belarus acting as a launchpad for the invasion.

The International Paralympic Committee had given Belarusian athletes four slots for March’s Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, but that move was not replicated in the preceding month’s Olympics and came under scrutiny with many countries joining a boycott.

Although the IOC allowed the participation of some Russian and Belarusian athletes for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the Milano Cortina Games, they were only eligible to compete as part of an ‘Individual Neutral Athletes’ (AIN) team.

Belarusian trampolinist Ivan Litvinovich became the first-ever athlete to win a gold medal at the Games under the AIN banner in Paris, where he successfully defended the gold medal he won in Tokyo three years earlier.

Competing under the AIN banner meant athletes were unable to wear their country’s kit or display their country’s flag, nor were the Russian or Belarusian national anthems played.

But even though the IOC has now lifted its recommended restrictions on athletes from Belarus, Russian athletes remain under the same sanctions.

“The situation relating to the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) is different from that relating to the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Belarus,” the IOC’s statement read.

“The NOC of Belarus is in good standing and complies with the Olympic Charter. Whilst the ROC has held constructive exchanges with the IOC on its suspension, it remains suspended while the IOC Legal Affairs Commission continues to review the matter.

“The IOC EB also noted with concern the recent information that has led to the World Anti-Doping Agency looking into the Russian anti-doping system. The IOC EB would therefore like to obtain a better understanding of this situation.”

For Belarusian athletes, however, the door to compete under their country’s flag has now been opened.

“As the IOC continues to navigate the ever-increasing complex realities and consequences of the current geopolitical context, including the rising number of wars and conflicts, and amidst growing global instability, it must uphold its mission to preserve a values-based and truly global sporting platform that provides hope to the world,” the IOC’s statement added.

“The IOC reaffirms that athletes’ participation in international competition should not be limited by the actions of their governments, including involvement in a war or conflict.”

Despite the IOC recommending the restrictions imposed on Belarusian athletes are lifted, World Athletics, the international governing body for athletics, will not be changing its position.

In a statement to The Athletic, a spokesperson from World Athletics said: “As a consequence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, World Athletics sanctions implemented in March 2022, excluding Belarusian and Russian athletes, officials, and supporting personnel from competition, remain in place.

“Our council has made a clear decision that when there is tangible movement towards peace negotiations, it can begin to review its decisions. We all hope this will be soon, but until that happens, the Council continues to be united in standing behind the decision it made in March 2022 and revisited in 2023 and 2025.”