Moscow views full-scale return of Russian athletes at Olympic Games — official
Anton Kobyakov emphasized that the participation of the Russian team in the Olympics would not hamper its participation in the BRICS Games
MOSCOW, August 17. /TASS/. Russia is capable of returning to the Olympic Games in its full capacity, Russian Presidential Aide and Executive Secretary of the Eastern Economic Forum Organizing Committee Anton Kobyakov said.
"We will definitely make a decent comeback at the upcoming Olympics," Kobyakov told TASS.
"It is important for athletes’ fans and the country on the whole to cherish memories about such participation [in upcoming tournaments] for them and they are not only about the main starts of their lives,’ but above everything the chance to represent their Homeland with dignity," Kobyakov added.
The Russian official also emphasized that the participation of the Russian team in the Olympics would not hamper its participation in the BRICS Games.
"There may well be SCO [the Shanghai Cooperation Organization] Games organized in the same manner. The question at the issue concerns the athletes' calendar and the organizational capabilities of all involved countries," Kobyakov added.
The 2028 Summer Olympic Games are slated to be hosted by the US city of Los Angeles between July 14 and 30. The previous edition of the Summer Olympics was hosted by the French capital of Paris in 2024 between July 26 and August 11. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed a team of 15 Russian athletes to participate in the 2024 Summer Olympics as neutrals.
In December 2025, the International Olympic Committee (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.
Later on, some of the international sports federations decided to lift all previously imposed restrictions not only for youth athletes but for all athletes at various levels from Russia and Belarus.
The Eastern Economic Forum will be held on September 1-4 at the Far Eastern Federal University campus in Vladivostok, Russia. The main theme of the 2026 forum is ‘Developing the Far East for the Benefit of Its People.’
The forum is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Russian government. TASS is the forum’s general media partner.