The media announced the IOC's call to allow Russians to be selected to participate in the 2026 Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has called on international winter sports federations to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to qualify for the 2026 Olympic Games. This was reported on February 25 by the TV channel. href="https://www.svt.se/sport/vintersport/iok-uppmanar-vintersportforbund-att-slappa-in-ryssar-och-belarusier " target="_blank">SVT Sport with reference to a source in the International Biathlon Union (IBU).

"They really want to achieve [the participation of Russians and Belarusians] and hope that we will soon admit athletes on a neutral status so that they can qualify for next season," the source shared.

The IOC considers the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, in which 15 Russians participated under a neutral flag, to be a successful precedent, said IBU President Olle Dahlin.

At the same time, SVT clarified that the IOC refused to comment on this information.

Zoran Lakovic, Director of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Department for National Associations, expressed hope on February 2 href="https://iz.ru/1832419/2025-02-02/v-uefa-nadeiutsia-na-dopusk-rossiiskikh-klubov-k-mezhdunarodnym-turniram-v-2025-godu " target="_blank">for the return of Russian clubs and national teams to international competitions in 2025. According to him, sport should unite people and remain independent of political influence.

In turn, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on January 24 that Russia would continue href="https://iz.ru/1827767/2025-01-24/peskov-zaiavil-o-terpelivoi-rabote-rossii-po-vozvrashcheniiu-v-mirovoi-sport " target="_blank">"patient work" on returning athletes to the world stage.