Since September 2025, the push to reintegrate Russian and Belarusian athletes has accelerated under the IOC’s influence, moving from restrictions toward participation under national flags in multiple sports.

By mid-2026, a wave of federation decisions restored full or partial participation rights for Russian and Belarusian athletes, including senior and some junior athletes, signaling a broad policy shift.

Notable milestones include the International Judo Federation reinstating full participation in November 2025, and World Taekwondo opening participation for both juniors and seniors by January 2026.

During 2026, several federations followed with rapid reversals or relaxations: World Aquatics in April, FIE in June, World Gymnastics in May, IHF in July, UIPM in July, World Taekwondo in January, and FIVB reinstating world ranking in July.

In boxing, as well as other sports, participation was restored to the fullest extent by mid-2026, marking a broad normalization trend across the Olympic movement.

The IOC issued a provisional lift of the Russian and Belarusian Olympic Committee ban in July 2026, alongside a general tilt toward allowing athletes to compete under national flags where feasible.

Experts note the IOC’s recommendation as a major driver behind federations’ policy changes, while sensitivities around Ukraine continue to frame ongoing discussions.

Youth policies diverged by sport, with some federations allowing youth to compete (e.g., chess, curling, sailing, ski mountaineering) and others still restricting seniors or maintaining neutral status in certain disciplines.

The Paralympic context also shifted earlier, as the IPC vote in 2025 ended suspensions, enabling Russian participation at Milano-Cortina 2026 where Russian athletes claimed eight gold medals.

The timeline culminated with a series of 2025–2026 decisions culminating in broader acceptance of Russian athletes across many sports, reflecting a coordinated shift toward national-flag participation when possible.

For team sports like volleyball, rankings and participation rights were restored in mid- to late 2026, with world rankings reestablished and teams re-entering international competition.