The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) has said it will give make cash payments to 116 of the country’s athletes who were banned from competing at the Winter Olympics this year.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has banned all Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing under their countries’ respective flags since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which Belarus supported.
A small number of athletes from both countries were allowed to compete as ‘neutrals’, in neutral kit and under an IOC anthem, in Paris 2024 and again in Milano-Cortina this February.
13 athletes in total passed an IOC vetting process, which required athletes to demonstrate they had never actively supported the war on Ukraine and had no links to the military, in order to compete in Italy.
Russian Sports Minister and ROC chairman Mikhail Degtyarev announced on Tuesday that athletes who were not allowed to participate in the Games would be financially compensated.
He said: “We decided... to award monetary bonuses to all Olympic athletes who were unable to travel to the Games due to treacherous political decisions.
“The Ministry of Sport and the Russian Olympic Committee are doing everything possible to ensure the full return of the Russian national team to international competitions under the national flag and with the national anthem.
“Where necessary, we negotiate; where that fails, we defend the athletes' rights in court so that our team can compete for medals with a full roster.”
The news was announced in an executive committee meeting attended by the 13 athletes who competed in Milano-Cortina.
Nikita Filippov was the only athlete from the two nations to win a medal, a silver in the ski mountaineering event which made its debut at the Games.
It is likely that these measures could be rolled back under new IOC president Kirsty Coventry to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their own flags and national anthems, possibly as soon as the LA Games in 2028.
In December the IOC advised sporting governing bodies to permit youth athletes from the two nations to compete as Russians and Belarusians rather than as neutrals.
The International Paralympic Committee lifted its suspension of the two nations in September, with 2026 marking the first time since 2014 that they have appeared at a Paralympic Games. Six Russian and Belarusian athletes were allowed to compete under their countries’ flags at the Winter Paralympics in March.
The IOC has been approached for comment.
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