“At a Glance”
- 13 Russian athletes will compete as neutral individuals at the Milan Cortina Olympics after IOC invitations were confirmed on Tuesday.
- Seven Belarusian athletes have also received invitations, but both groups will compete without national symbols or an anthem.
- The neutral status is granted to athletes who are not linked to military or state security agencies and have not actively supported the war in Ukraine.
“Introduction”
The Milan Cortina Olympics will open next week on Feb. 6 with a field that includes 13 Russian athletes competing as neutral participants. The International Olympic Committee confirmed the invitations on Tuesday, marking a continuation of the neutral status policy that began after the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, when Russia was excluded from many international sporting events due to its invasion of Ukraine. The Russian and Belarusian athletes will not march in the opening-day parade, will not wear national colors, and will compete under the designation AIN, the French acronym for Individual Neutral Athletes.
Neutral Participation
The IOC’s decision to allow athletes to compete under neutral status follows a rule that permits individuals who are not contracted to military or state security agencies and who have not supported the war to participate. This policy was first applied at the 2022 Beijing Games, where the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) competed under a neutral flag and won 32 medals, including five gold. The current invitations are the most recent example of the IOC’s ongoing efforts to balance fair competition with geopolitical concerns.
Timeline of Key Decisions
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Dec. 2, 2023 | Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned a blanket ban by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation on Russian and Belarusian athletes. |
| Feb. 6, 2025 | Milan Cortina Olympics opening ceremony. |
| 2022 | Russia’s full military invasion of Ukraine; exclusion from many international sports. |
| 2024 | Paris Summer Games; Russia remains excluded from team sports like ice hockey. |
Alpine Skiing Athletes
Four Russian athletes and three Belarusian athletes have been invited to compete in Alpine skiing. None of them are considered realistic medal contenders, but they represent the breadth of participation under neutral status.
- Yulia Pleshkova (Russia) – has started three World Cup races this season with a best finish of 40th in a downhill. She is scheduled to compete later this week in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
- Simon Efimov (Belarus) – competes in slalom but has not qualified for a second run in a World Cup race this month.
- Maria Shkanova (Belarus) – also slalom competitor with similar qualification status.
The athletes’ participation follows the Dec. 2 ruling that lifted the blanket ban imposed by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation after the war intensified in February 2022.
Luge Competitors
In luge, the IOC invited two Russian athletes:
- Daria Olesik – the first Russian to start a World Cup luge race in almost four years, competing last month at Lake Placid, New York.
- Pavel Repilov – a silver medalist in boys’ singles at the 2020 Lausanne Winter Youth Olympics.
Both will race on the sliding track in Cortina under the neutral designation.
Medal Prospects
The strongest medal prospects among the Russian neutral athletes are figure skaters:
- Adeliia Petrosian – a leading contender in women’s singles.
- Petr Gumennik – a top competitor in men’s singles.
Russia is still excluded from team sports such as ice hockey at the Milan Cortina Games. The athletes will compete under the AIN designation, and their performances will be recorded in the official medal tables without national affiliation.
Historical Context
At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Russian athletes under the ROC banner won 32 medals, including five gold. The neutral status policy was introduced as a punitive measure in the long-running doping scandal and was later extended to address the geopolitical conflict. The Milan Cortina Games have unveiled new Olympic and Paralympic medal designs, adding a visual element to the event’s historic narrative.
Key Takeaways
- The Milan Cortina Olympics will feature 13 Russian athletes competing as neutral participants under AIN.
- Seven Belarusian athletes will also compete without national symbols or an anthem.
- The IOC’s neutral status policy continues to allow athletes who are not linked to military or state agencies to compete, following the Dec. 2 CAS ruling.
- Strongest medal hopes lie with figure skaters Adeliia Petrosian and Petr Gumennik, while other athletes are primarily participating in Alpine skiing and luge.
Meta Description: The Milan Cortina Olympics will include 13 Russian athletes competing as neutral participants under AIN, following IOC invitations confirmed on Tuesday. The athletes, including alpine skiers and lugers, will compete without national symbols or an anthem, continuing the neutral status policy established after the 2022 Beijing Games.
Categories: [“World News”, “Breaking News”]
