Russians will compete as neutral independent athletes without a national flag or anthem at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games, maintaining the same sanctions as the Paris Olympics last year.

The International Olympic Committee suspended the Russian Olympic Committee in October 2023, following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

"We also spoke about the Independent Neutral Athletes (AINs). This will be nothing new," IOC President Kirsty Coventry told a press conference on Friday.

"The Executive board will take the exact same approach that was done in Paris. Nothing has changed."

Russian and Belarusian athletes who reach qualifying times will be first vetted for any links to the Russian military or to see if they support of the war in Ukraine, both of which will exclude them.

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