After the International Olympic Committee met in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Thursday, the organization issued a release encouraging each participating country to recognize young Russian and Belarussian athletes in their junior competitions.
It hastened to add that “existing sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian governments should also remain in place,” but it said that applying political pressure to young athletes was unfair.
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“The Summit also reaffirmed that athletes have a fundamental right to access sport across the world, and to compete free from political interference or pressure from governmental organizations,” the IOC statement said.
“As role models in society, athletes have at the same time a responsibility and an obligation to respect, uphold and promote the Olympic values, before, during and after competition.
“In light of the discussion around the principles, the Summit supported the IOC EB’s recommendation that youth athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport should no longer be restricted in their access to international youth competitions, in both individual and team sports.”
As a result, the Youth Olympic Games to be held in Dakar next November could allow junior Olympians from any nation to compete under their own flags, although the IOC cautioned that implementation of its updated policy “could take some time”.
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It is still up to each national federation to set the rules for competitions held in each of their countries. For example, if France were to host a Youth Olympic skiing competition this coming winter, such rules would be subject to the decision of the Comité National Olympique et Sportif Français.
The IOC’s position does not affect the non-youth athletes from Russia and Belarus, who at the moment are still prohibited from competing under their countries’ flags at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo and the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Mikhail Degtyarev, president of the Russian Olympic Committee, welcomed the news on Thursday, posting on social media, “We thank the IOC Executive Board for its gradual and consistent progress towards restoring the fundamental principles of the Olympic Charter.
“We will carefully analyze the Executive Board’s decision and continue to work towards the full restoration of the rights of all our athletes.”
Russia had recently filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne against the decision to suspend Russian athletes competing in biathlon from international competitions.
The IOC also noted that no political messaging would be tolerated in such competitions.
“At the same time, and based on the Fundamental Principles of Olympism, all athletes and their entourage must continue to support the Olympic Movement’s mission to promote unity and peace,” the statement reads. “Athletes and entourage members who act against this peace mission could be removed from competitions by the IF, their National Federation, their National Olympic Committee or the International Sports Event Organizer.”
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