"Russian Athletes Banned from Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony Parade"...IOC Issues Prohibition

Russian athletes have been banned from participating in the opening ceremony parade at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics.

On January 25 (Korean time), Russian news agency TASS reported, citing a statement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), that athletes from Russia will not be allowed to join the Olympic opening ceremony parade scheduled for February 6.

In a statement sent to TASS, the IOC clarified, "Athletes with Individual Neutral status (AIN) will not participate in the athletes' parade during the opening ceremony."

However, the IOC added, "These athletes will still have the opportunity to experience the event in areas such as the Milan and mountain cluster stadiums," indicating that while they cannot join the parade, they are not completely barred from attending the opening ceremony.

This Winter Olympics will be held in and around Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, from February 6 to 22.

Due to sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine, athletes from Russia and Belarus are not allowed to represent their countries and can only compete as neutral athletes in individual events.

They will participate in sports such as figure skating, cross-country skiing, short track speed skating, speed skating, and alpine skiing. They are not permitted to compete in team events.