Russian athletes find a narrow path back to the upcoming Winter Olympics 2026 courtesy of the International Olympic Committee’s new rules

For nearly four years, Russian athletes have been missing from most global sporting events. The ban followed the 2022 war in Ukraine and led to almost zero Russian presence at the Paris Summer Olympics. The upcoming Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, however, tell a slightly different story. While Russia is not making a full return, a small opening has been created for select athletes.These athletes will not compete under the Russian flag or anthem. Instead, they will take part as “Individual Neutral Athletes” under strict International Olympic Committee rules. Only a handful have passed the screening process so far. Their inclusion shows how tightly controlled and limited Russia’s Olympic involvement remains heading into 2026.As per the Associated Press, the IOC has officially approved two Russian short track speed skaters to compete at the Winter Games. Ivan Posashkov, 21, and Alena Krylova, 23, will race as Individual Neutral Athletes. This means no national symbols, no flag, and no participation in the opening ceremony when the Games begin on February 6.Krylova will compete in the 500m event. She is the reigning Russian champion in both the 500m and 1,000m races. Posashkov will compete in the 1,000m. He recently won stages of the Russian Cup relay final. Both athletes also took part in World Tour events in 2025, which counted toward Olympic qualification.Their approval came only after passing a strict neutrality review. The IOC requires athletes to show they did not support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They must also have no links to the military or state security services. In addition, all Olympic qualification and anti-doping rules still apply. Each athlete was reviewed first by their sport’s governing body and then by three IOC members.Figure skating was also tightly restricted. Only one neutral skater per discipline was allowed to attempt qualification. Russia’s pairs and ice dance teams failed the neutrality screening. As a result, Russia had no entries in those events at the Beijing Olympic qualifier in September 2025.Two singles skaters succeeded. Adeliia Petrosian and Petr Gumennik qualified as neutral athletes. Petrosian is a three-time Russian national champion and a three-time Russian Grand Prix Final winner. Gumennik is the 2026 Russian national champion and a bronze medalist at the 2020 Rostelecom Cup.Two others were named reserves. Vladislav Dikidzhi and Alina Gorbacheva did not compete but remain first alternates if needed.The process highlights how limited Russia’s Olympic presence remains. Every athlete allowed to compete had to clear multiple layers of checks. At Milan-Cortina, participation is not about nationality, but about strict neutrality and eligibility under IOC rules.Also Read: Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva breaks barriers at Australian Open as first openly gay male player