Russia as a country is banned from the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina because of sanctions linked to its invasion of Ukraine, but some Russian athletes can still compete under a neutral status with no flag or anthem.

Quick Scoop: Why “Russia” Isn’t There

  • The International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided in 2025 that Russia and Belarus cannot compete as national teams at Milano-Cortina 2026 due to their role in the war in Ukraine.
  • This follows earlier moves in 2022, when athletes and teams from those countries were pushed out of many international events “to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all participants.”
  • So you won’t see “Russia” on the scoreboard, no Russian flag at medal ceremonies, and no Russian national anthem in official Olympic contexts.

What About Individual Russian Athletes?

Russia is not there as a team, but some athletes with Russian passports can still show up in Italy in a very limited way.

  • They compete as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) under a neutral flag, with no Russian symbols or colors.
  • They don’t count toward any “Russia” medal table and are listed separately in results and broadcasts.
  • To be eligible, they must:
    • Pass all anti-doping rules (already strict because of Russia’s previous doping scandals).
* Not have publicly supported the war in Ukraine.

* Not be under contract with the Russian military or security services.

In practice, that means the Russian presence is small and very carefully filtered, with some reports suggesting only a modest number of athletes in certain sports.

How This Links to Earlier Bans (Doping & ROC)

There’s some history behind why Russia’s Olympic status has been complicated for years.

  • After the state-sponsored doping scandal, Russia was banned from competing under its own flag for a full Olympic cycle, but “clean” athletes could take part under neutral or special designations.
  • That’s why at Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 you saw “ROC” (Russian Olympic Committee), not “Russia.”
  • In 2023, the IOC then suspended the Russian Olympic Committee entirely after it tried to bring sports bodies from occupied Ukrainian regions under its control, which the IOC said violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the Olympic Charter.

So by the time Milano-Cortina 2026 arrived, Russia was already under heavy restrictions, and the war-related sanctions kept the door shut on full national participation.

Why Teams Like Ice Hockey Are Out Completely

One of the biggest visible absences is Russian team sports such as ice hockey.

  • The IOC has kept a clear line: no teams with Russian passports, only individuals as neutrals.
  • The IOC explicitly stated in 2025 that a group of Individual Neutral Athletes can’t be treated as a “team,” which blocks Russian national squads from entering tournaments like Olympic ice hockey.

That’s why discussions and rumors about Russian hockey coming back for 2026 were shut down—those sanctions still apply.

Politics, Propaganda, and the Bigger Picture

Beyond sport, the sanctions also hit Russia’s ability to use the Olympics as a soft-power tool.

  • Analysts note that big sporting events have long been a symbolic resource for the Kremlin, showcasing a modern, powerful Russia (think Sochi 2014 and the 2018 World Cup).
  • With Russia sidelined or present only in neutral form, that stage is much smaller, making it harder to turn Olympic success into national propaganda.
  • In response, Russia has tried to criticize and delegitimize recent Games and even floated alternative sports events with “friendly” countries, though those efforts have struggled to take off.

In short, “Russia” is not in the 2026 Winter Olympics because of war-related sanctions and earlier Olympic Charter and doping issues—but a limited number of Russians are there quietly, competing without their flag, anthem, or official national team.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.