On January 25, the IOC supported the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international tournaments as neutral athletes, adding that those who actively supported the special operation in Ukraine should be banned from competitions.
"As said in the concept which is currently under discussion, only athletes who fully comply with the World Anti-Doping Code and all relevant anti-doping rules and regulations would be potentially eligible to return to international competitions. There must be individual doping controls carried out by relevant authorities (IFs and National Anti-Doping Organisations) for all potentially entered athletes," the IOC said answering the question whether athletes with Russian or Belarusian passports will be able to compete.
The IOC also said that, taking into account doping-related violations in Russia, "strict anti-doping conditions" were established for every Russian and Belarusian athlete who returns to the international sports arena.
In December 2022, the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) informed the participants of the Olympic Summit that between January 2021 and December 2022, WADA-accredited organizations conducted more than 31,000 doping tests among Russian athletes before, during and after competitions adding that the program is ongoing.
In February 2022, the IOC recommended that international sports federations prohibit Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing due to the situation in Ukraine. A number of international federations followed this recommendation, while others allowed them to compete as neutral athletes.