International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry has given the clearest signal yet that Russia has a chance of returning to participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
"We are a sports organization. We understand politics and know that we don't operate in a vacuum. But at the heart of our work is sport. That means keeping sport a neutral ground, where every athlete can compete freely without being restricted by politics or the divisions of their government," Kirsty Coventry said in a report by The Guardian, quoted.
Since February 2022, Russia has been banned from participating in FIFA and UEFA competitions, including the World Cup and European Championships. Russian teams are only permitted to play friendlies, with no participation in official international tournaments.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino previously stated that the ban was ineffective and needed to be re-evaluated, at least for youth competitions. However, there has been no official decision from FIFA or the IOC regarding Russia's participation in the 2028 Olympics.
A day after Infantino's statement, Coventry, in his opening speech at the 145th IOC Congress in Milan, Italy, expressed his desire for Russia to be included again in international football.
