Pathway back for Russian athletes being considered, says USOPC

Russian athletes who have not been welcome at international events due to the country's war with Ukraine could soon be allowed back in competition, said the head of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee on Thursday.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued guidance to sports governing bodies in February to remove Russian and Belarusian athletes from competition.

Belarus has been used as a staging ground for Russia's invasion, which Moscow calls a "special military operation".

But the IOC is now beginning to consider a pathway back for athletes from the two countries, said USOPC chair Susanne Lyons during a conference call on Thursday, adding athletes should not be punished for the actions of their governments.

"We know that the IOC is beginning to think about whether there's a pathway back for the Russian athletes," said Lyons. "They are beginning to reach out to all of their stakeholders to get input on that topic.

"But I think all of us feel at some point in time individual athletes should not be the victims of whatever their government politics or other tensions there are around the world.

"I think inevitably there will be a desire to see athletes that happen to reside in Russia come back and be part of competition but the timing and what that looks like is to be determined."

USOPC officials made it clear their issues are not with Russian athletes but with the government and sport officials.

They have been left frustrated at the slow pace of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency's (RUSADA) investigation into figure skater Kamila Valieva's failed drugs test at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games and the continued detention of the U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner, who is jailed in Russia on drugs charges.

USOPC CEO