Ukraine has signalled it will no longer bar its athletes from competing against Russians who are taking part in sporting events as "neutral athletes," a significant easing of its boycott policy a year before the Paris Olympics.
A decree dated Wednesday says Ukrainian athletes and teams will only be required to boycott if competitors from Russia or Belarus are competing under their national flags or other symbols, or have signalled allegiance to either of those countries in another way.
The change in policy could smooth the way for Ukrainians to compete at next year's Paris Olympics. Ukrainian athletes previously boycotted events which allowed Russians and Belarusians as "individual neutral athletes," the preferred term of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The IOC favours allowing Russians and Belarusians to compete as "neutral athletes," without national symbols in Olympic qualifying events.