The key facts

  • Putin instructed the ROC to continue its work to protect the interests of Russian athletes
  • On July 7, the IOC temporarily lifted the suspension of the ROC's activities and recommended that federations remove restrictions on Russians
  • 15 Russian athletes competed in a neutral status at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Assignment to the Russian Olympic Committee

Russian President Vladimir Putin, at a meeting in Moscow, stated that the Russian Olympic Committee must continue its work to protect the interests of Russian athletes. “The Russian Olympic Committee must continue its work to protect the interests of Russian athletes,” RIA Novosti quotes him as saying.

Context: the ROC's reinstatement in the Olympic movement

The statement came after a change in the ROC's status within the international Olympic movement. On July 7, the IOC temporarily lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee's activities and recommended that all federations remove restrictions on Russian athletes — the previously issued recommendations became obsolete. This information is reported by Gazeta.Ru.

Previous restrictions

Restrictions on Russians had been in effect for several years: in March 2022, the International Olympic Committee recommended barring Russian and Belarusian athletes from competitions, and in December 2023 it recommended admitting Russian representatives to the 2024 Paris Olympics in a neutral status. In the end, 15 Russian athletes went to France, and they were prohibited from using Russian symbols, including the flag and anthem. Thus, Putin's assignment concerns a situation in which the formal restrictions have already been lifted, but the issue of protecting athletes' interests remains on the ROC's agenda. Earlier, according to the same publication, Dmitry Medvedev said that Canada treats Russian hockey players in a 'swinish' manner.