The International Olympic Committee on Thursday removed all restrictions on Belarusian athletes, paving the way for their return to international competition, including qualifying events for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The IOC had recommended since 2022 that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials be barred from events following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Belarus used as a staging ground for the offensive.
“In light of current conditions, the IOC Executive Board no longer recommends any restrictions on the participation of Belarusian athletes, including teams, in competitions governed by international federations and international sports event organisers,” the Olympic body said in a statement.
The decision clears the path for Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flag and anthem, including in team events, and to take part in qualifying competitions for the 2028 Games later this year.
However, the global governing body of athletics said its sanctions against Belarusian athletes would remain in place.
“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,” a World Athletics spokesperson said.
“Our council has made a clear decision that when there is tangible movement toward 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.”
Belarus’ foreign ministry and its National Olympic Committee welcomed the ruling, saying justice had taken its course.
“The right to participate in international tournaments and the Olympic Games with the national flag and anthem has been restored,” state news agency BelTA quoted the foreign ministry as saying. “A consistent line insisting on athletes’ rights has produced a logical result.”
The National Olympic Committee expressed gratitude to IOC President Kirsty Coventry for her “balanced and principled position” and described the outcome as “a long-awaited event for every athlete in our country.”
Ukraine’s Olympic committee protested the decision, saying it contradicted fundamental principles of justice, responsibility and Olympic values.
“The territory of Belarus is used to launch missiles and attack drones at Ukrainian cities, as well as for military logistics and support for the Russian army,” it said in a statement.
“In the military and humanitarian context, there have been no changes that could serve as grounds for the return of representatives of Belarus to international sport under national symbols.”
At both the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, only a handful of carefully vetted Russian and Belarusian athletes with no links to the military or the war were allowed to compete in individual events, as neutral athletes without their flag.
The IOC urged federations in December 2025 to readmit Russian and Belarusian youth athletes under 23 to international events without restrictions, in a first clear step toward easing sanctions.
The IOC said the lifting of restrictions would not apply to Russian athletes. There has been increased speculation that a similar decision could be made for Russia in the coming months.
The Olympic body said its legal affairs commission was reviewing information regarding the Russian Olympic Committee while also examining the country’s anti-doping system, with ongoing investigations by the World Anti-Doping Agency a concern.
Coventry said there had been “constructive discussions” with the Russian Olympic Committee but that outstanding issues remained.
“Our remit is sport and we have to figure out what it means,” Coventry told a news conference. “We want all athletes to be able to participate. I believe this decision shows that.”
As for Russia, she said there was no specific timeline for a potential decision on an unrestricted return to international sport.
“We have, as an organisation, to listen to all sides of the story and that is why we are where we are,” Coventry said.
The Russian Olympic Committee was suspended in October 2023 for recognizing regional Olympic councils for Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine, including Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, following Russia’s invasion.
The IOC said at the time that move violated the Olympic Charter and the territorial integrity of Ukraine’s Olympic Committee.
