The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the lifting of the ban on Belarusian athletes and teams, allowing them to compete under their national flag. In contrast, the restrictions on Russia remain firmly in place. This decision follows the suspension of both countries from Olympic competition after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Belarus being a close ally.

Key points from the IOC's announcement include:

• A partial ban was initiated in 2023, permitting Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals.
• The IOC reaffirmed that athletes should not face participation limits due to their governments' actions in conflicts.
• Since 2023, athletes with a Belarusian passport have participated as individual neutral athletes (AINs) in various international events, including the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games and Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, without incidents.

The announcement comes as qualification periods for the LA28 Olympic Games and the Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games commence this summer. IOC President Kirsty Coventry had previously hinted that Russia might compete in Los Angeles, but the IOC has decided against lifting the ban due to ongoing doping issues.

The IOC clarified that the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Belarus is compliant with the Olympic Charter, unlike the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), which is still under review for its doping violations. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) reported over 300 sanctions against Russian athletes following data seizures from a Moscow laboratory.

In contrast, the International Paralympic Committee lifted its ban on athletes from both countries, leading to varied responses within the sports community, including criticism from Ukraine's sports minister regarding potential leniency towards Russia.