LAUSANNE, July 8. /Dunyo IA/. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has reinstated the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and recommended lifting restrictions on Russian athletes, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing a statement from the organization.

However, the decision does not mean that Russian athletes will automatically be allowed to compete at the Olympic Games under the national flag.

The ROC was suspended in October 2023 after it included Olympic councils from annexed Ukrainian territories into its structure. At the time, the IOC considered this a violation of the Olympic Charter and Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

The IOC said it reviewed the decision following an analysis by its Legal Affairs Commission. The review concluded that the ROC no longer includes sports organizations located in territories under the jurisdiction of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.

At the same time, the IOC stressed that it reserves the right to reintroduce restrictions against the ROC if deemed necessary.

The committee also lifted recommendations that limited Russian athletes’ participation in international competitions to neutral status only. However, athletes will still have to meet current anti-doping requirements.

Final decisions on the participation of Russian athletes in international competitions and the Olympic Games will be made by the relevant international sports federations. Some federations have already allowed Russian representatives to compete.

The issue of using the Russian flag, anthem, and national symbols remains unresolved. The IOC also said it does not plan to hold its events in Russia or invite Russian officials to them.

The organization explained that the decisions were made in connection with the start of the qualification period for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the need to ensure equal access to competitions for all athletes.