GENEVA, June 24. /TASS/. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has passed amendments to the Olympic Charter concerning the movement’s political neutrality.
The issue was considered at the IOC session underway in Lausanne, Switzerland on June 24-25.
Under the amendments, the Olympic movement must always maintain neutrality. The changes also enshrine the IOC’s role in preserving neutrality free from governmental, cultural, public, and economic pressure.
Addressing the session in Lausanne, IOC President Kirsty Coventry stated “the many conflicts around the world that are happening, and so this is exactly the reason why we needed a working group to look at what does the neutrality within our framework mean? What does it mean for the Olympic movement? What does it mean for our stakeholders? What does it mean for athletes?”
“And let’s be really clear on that remit and that that remit is the Games and sport and how can we then review all the documents that we have, the Olympic Charter and all the other documents, to strengthen that position of neutrality that we need in a very divided world that we sadly have today,” she continued.
“And I believe that’s what they’ve done. And I believe that is what’s led to the really important charter changes that will allow for us to strengthen, but also, just as importantly, be very concrete on what our remit is and where and how we can apply that neutrality,” the IOC chief noted.
IOC sanctions against Russia
On February 28, 2022, the IOC issued recommendations to international sports federations to prohibit athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in international tournaments, citing Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.
Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February 2022, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.
In December 2025, the IOC Executive Board issued recommendations that allowed athletes in international federations from Russia and Belarus to participate in youth disciplines under the national flags and anthems. This recommendation applied to both individual and team sports. Numerous international sports federations followed the proposal.