Ukraine’s National Olympic Committee has filed a formal complaint with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, contesting the International Olympic Committee’s recent choice to allow the Russian Olympic Committee back into the fold. The IOC had suspended Russia in 2023 due to the invasion of Ukraine, but officially removed that restriction on July 7, 2026, claiming the original reasoning was no longer valid.
This reversal paves the way for Russian participants to compete under their national banner at the 2028 Olympic Games. The move follows a gradual shift in policy that began in late 2025 with the IOC suggesting that under-23 competitors from Russia and Belarus should be permitted to rejoin international events. Ukraine’s officials argue the IOC acted too quickly and breached the Olympic Charter.
In a formal statement, the Ukrainian committee noted that the original issues leading to the suspension—specifically the unlawful inclusion of sports organizations from occupied Ukrainian territories—have not been adequately addressed. Ukraine highlights that the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the initial suspension in 2024, citing violations of territorial integrity. Ukrainian leadership warns that ignoring these breaches could undermine global sports law and establish a harmful precedent for the future of the Olympic movement.
