IOC President Kirsty Coventry stated Russian athletes won’t represent their nation at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics—even if Ukraine peace is reached—insisting no changes to current rules.
In a Friday Corriere della Sera interview, Coventry affirmed Russians and Belarusians can only participate as neutrals, without flags or anthems, per the IOC’s post-2022 invasion ban.
The IOC’s September decision allows individual entries for the February 6-22 games.
Coventry, the body’s first female leader, predicted multi-city hosting—like Italy’s model—will become standard, offering lessons for future events.
The IOC hasn’t confirmed her remarks to Reuters.
