Canada Opposes IOC Move to Ease Restrictions on Russian Athletes

Canada’s Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden said he is “appalled” by the International Olympic Committee’s decision to lift verification of Russian and Belarusian athletes ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games and warned that the country will not allow any Russian athletes to compete in domestically funded events.

The IOC announced it would no longer require athletes from Russia and Belarus to prove they are free of ties to the military or security services, potentially allowing them to compete under the Russian flag and anthem. IOC President Kirsty Coventry argued the move treats athletes separately from their governments, a stance that has drawn criticism from Canada, Estonia, Norway, the United Kingdom, Latvia and Sweden, which view it as normalising Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Russia’s Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed the decision, calling it an “important step toward reinstating our athletes’ legitimate rights.” The debate highlights the tension between sport‑governance decisions and geopolitical conflicts.