The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are approaching, set to begin on February 6, but the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes remains uncertain. Sports federations and government officials are divided as the war in Ukraine continues. The Kremlin has declared that Russia will strive to ensure its athletes’ participation in the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, told the Russian news agency TASS that Russia remains in communication with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and will defend the interests of its athletes and Olympic team. Resolving this issue will require additional time and effort. After initially imposing a blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, the IOC later approved their participation in international sports tournaments as neutrals in March 2023, provided they had not shown support for the war and had no ties to the military.

THE PUSH TO COMPLETE

Some sports federations have allowed individual athletes to participate in Olympic events, which the Kremlin considers “good news.” However, the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) has expressed dissatisfaction with the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) decision to exclude Russia from the 2026 World Cup.

The RIHF plans to legally challenge the ban, arguing that the World Championship’s level has significantly declined without Russia’s participation. Pavel Bure, RIHF’s Special Representative for International Affairs, stated that the International Olympic Committee will make the final decision on Russia’s participation in the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan.