Canada has expressed its disapproval of the International Olympic Committee’s decision to relax the suspension on Russian athletes. The IOC’s recent announcement indicated that Russian athletes could potentially participate in the 2028 Los Angeles games, although a final decision on whether they can compete under the Russian flag and anthem is pending. Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of Sport and former Olympian, condemned the IOC’s move, emphasizing that Russia and Belarus should not be allowed to partake in international sports events amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Canada has taken a firm stance, stating that Russian athletes will not be permitted to participate in any domestic sports events supported by Ottawa. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand warned that the IOC’s decision could normalize Russia’s aggressive actions against Ukraine. The IOC had initially recommended suspending Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with some sports governing bodies allowing Russian athletes to compete neutrally without the Russian flag.
Despite initial restrictions, organizations such as World Aquatics have started permitting Russian senior athletes to compete in swimming competitions. The IOC had been screening Russian and Belarusian athletes for military ties since October 2023, allowing some to compete as “individual neutral athletes.” This vetting process has been provisionally lifted by the IOC this week, with President Kirsty Coventry emphasizing that athletes should not be held accountable for their governments’ actions.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed the decision as a step towards reinstating Russian athletes’ rights to participate in international competitions. Notably, Russian government officials remain prohibited from attending Olympic events. While Canada has criticized the IOC’s decision, other nations like Estonia have called for the European Union to withdraw funding from the IOC over the Russia decision. However, some entities, like the Olympic Council of Asia, have supported the IOC’s move, highlighting the importance of allowing athletes to compete regardless of their countries’ conflicts.
The IOC’s instructions to reintegrate Russian athletes are not mandatory for individual sports governing bodies. FIFA is also considering its stance on lifting the ban imposed on Russia, which affected its participation in World Cup qualifiers. FIFA will assess the IOC decision before making any decisions on the matter.
