Russian teams remain banned, but some individual competitions will allow qualified athletes to participate under strict conditions.
MILAN, Italy — The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics will see a familiar sight from recent Games: Russian athletes competing without their flag, anthem or national colors.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the International Olympic Committee banned Russian and Belarusian teams from the 2024 Paris Games and has extended that ban to the upcoming Winter Olympics. While entire squads remain barred from competition, individual Russian and Belarusian athletes at the 2026 Games may compete as “Individual Neutral Athletes” without national identification as long as their sport’s governing body will allow.
Russian teams, including the country’s powerful hockey program, remain banned from competing at the Milan Cortina Olympics in February.
Individual neutral athletes
Unlike team sports, some individual competitions will allow qualified Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate under strict conditions.
The International Olympic Committee’s formula for “Individual Neutral Athletes” for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games led the International Skating Union to announce a parallel program to allow the possibility of Olympic qualification for up to 24 Russian and 24 Belarusian athletes.
Which Russian athletes are in the Olympics?
As of Jan. 29, 13 Russian athletes and seven Belarusian competitors have accepted invitations to compete at the 2026 Games.
- Alpine skiing: Russians Yulia Pleshkova, Simon Efimov and Belarusian athlete Maria Shkanova
- Cross-country skiing: Russians Savelii Korostelev, Daria Nepriaeva and Belarusian athlete Hanna Karaliova
- Figure skating: Russians Petr Gumennik and Adeliia Petrosian and Belarusian athlete Viktoriya Safonova
- Freestyle skiing: Belarusian athletes Anastasiya Andryianava, Anna Derugo and Hanna Huskova
- Luge: Russians Daria Olesik and Pavel Repilov
- Short track speed skating: Russians Ivan Posashkov and Alena Krylova
- Ski Mountaineering: Nikita Filippov
- Speed skating: Russians Kseniia Korzhova, Anastasiia Semenova and Belarusian athlete Marina Zueva
Strict vetting process
Athletes seeking neutral status must pass a rigorous two-step vetting process. They cannot have publicly supported the Ukraine invasion or be affiliated with military or state security agencies. All competitors must also follow anti-doping rules and qualify through existing Olympic qualification systems.
Just 15 Russian athletes were permitted to take part in the Paris Olympics last summer, competing as neutrals. The athletes had to qualify for the Games and pass a double check, first by the international sports federations and then by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to prove they met the strict requirements.
A history of competing under different names
This isn’t the first time Russian athletes have competed under alternative designations at the Olympics. After Russia was suspended in 2017 due to doping, select competitors attended the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics as “Olympic Athletes from Russia.” Russians competed in Tokyo and Beijing under the “Russian Olympic Committee,” or ROC, as part of continued doping sanctions.
The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics will take place from Feb. 6 through Feb. 22.