Winter Olympics 2026: Russia and Belarus Banned, AIN Athletes Explained
The 2026 Winter Olympics, officially commencing on 6 February in Milan, Italy, will showcase athletes from 92 nations. However, two countries will be notably absent: Russia and Belarus. Both nations remain suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) due to violations of the Olympic Charter, prohibiting their official participation in the Games.
Why Are Russia and Belarus Banned from the Winter Olympics?
In March 2022, the IOC recommended that international sports federations ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from events following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Belarus has supported this invasion, acting as an ally throughout the conflict. The invasion occurred after the Beijing Winter Olympics but before the Paralympics, leading to swift action from sporting bodies.
The International Paralympic Committee banned both countries on the eve of the competition after threats of boycotts. The IOC formally suspended Russia and Belarus in October 2023 after the Russian Olympic Committee annexed sporting organisations in Ukrainian territories, including Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia. This move violated the territorial integrity of Ukraine's National Olympic Committee, constituting a breach of the Olympic Charter.
The suspension halted all Olympic funding to the Russian Olympic Committee and barred Russian and Belarusian athletes from representing their nations at the 2024 Paris Olympics and subsequent events.
What Are AIN Athletes?
Despite the ban, a limited number of athletes are permitted to compete as 'Individual Neutral Athletes' (AIN), an abbreviation from the French "athlètes individuels neutres." This system, introduced at the Paris Olympics, continues for Milano Cortina 2026. AIN athletes do not represent Russia or Belarus officially; instead, they compete under a neutral teal flag with an 'AIN' emblem.
They are prohibited from using their national anthems, with the IOC assigning an instrumental anthem instead. At the Paris Olympics, these athletes were excluded from the Opening Ceremony, and their medals did not contribute to the overall medal table, a policy expected to persist.
Which AIN Athletes Are Allowed to Compete?
AIN athletes are restricted from team events like ice hockey or curling, as the IOC rules that a group of neutral athletes cannot form a team. To qualify, athletes in individual sports must gain approval from their sport's governing body and pass vetting by an IOC-appointed panel.
Strict criteria apply: athletes must have no links to the Russian military and must not have expressed support for the war in Ukraine. Notably, high-profile Russian skater Kamila Valieva, who returned from a four-year doping ban in late 2025, missed the qualification window for these Olympics.
Which AIN Athletes Have Qualified for the Winter Olympics?
Thirteen Russian athletes and seven Belarusian athletes have accepted IOC invitations to compete in Milano Cortina 2026. The list includes:
- From Russia: Yulia Pleshkova (Alpine skiing), Simon Efimov (Alpine skiing), Savelii Korostelev (cross-country skiing), Daria Nepriaeva (cross-country skiing), Petr Gumennik (figure skating), Adeliia Petrosian (figure skating), Daria Olesik (luge), Pavel Repilov (luge), Ivan Posashkov (short-track), Alena Krylova (short-track), Nikita Filippov (ski mountaineering), Kseniia Korzhova (speed skating), Anastasiia Semenova (speed skating).
- From Belarus: Marina Zueva (speed skating), Hanna Karaliova (cross-country skiing), Viktoriya Safonova (figure skating), Maria Shkanova (Alpine skiing), Anastasiya Andryianava (freestyle skiing), Anna Derugo (freestyle skiing), Hanna Huskova (freestyle skiing).
These athletes will participate under the AIN banner, highlighting the ongoing geopolitical tensions impacting international sports while allowing individual competitors to showcase their talents on a global stage.
