Who can compete in the Olympics when at war? Here's how IOC handles conflict

How does the International Olympic Committee decide suspensions for the Games, primarily when countries are at war?

The topic has become a debate during the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, specifically involving the different eligibility rules for Russia and Israel.

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Russian and Belarusian athletes are again competing under the Individual Neutral Athletes -- or AINs -- name in Italy due to Russia's involvement in the ongoing war with Ukraine.

Russia had over 200 athletes competing in Beijing 2022 before its Olympic suspension in 2023. In Milan Cortina, the athlete total just surpassed double digits.

Because of Russia's suspension, there has been criticism for alleged double standards due to Israel's involvement in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

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So, what's the key difference that's allowed Israel to compete as normal in Italy? The IOC said when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, it suspended the country's Olympic committee for violating the Olympic Charter.

Russia breached Ukraine's territorial integrity and absorbed the nation's sports governing bodies into its own system, undermining the Olympic truce, which calls for peace around the times the Games, summer or winter, begin. The truce is not legally enforceable, only symbolic.

Despite the war still ongoing in Gaza, the IOC has not suspended Israel as the country's Olympic committee did not commit any violations against Palestine's Olympic Committee, not just because the two nations are at war.

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Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, an IOC spokesperson said to Newsweek the two situations were "not comparable": “The relevant NOCs did not extend their area of jurisdiction over that of another NOC or outside their own area of jurisdiction. It is beyond our remit to react to any conflict or war situation between countries. This is the pure realm of politics.”

Palestine's NOC did not agree with the decision and accused the IOC of "double standards." Palestine is not involved in the 2026 Games because the nation has never competed in any Winter Olympics, though it did have eight athletes participate in the summer of 2024.

It doesn't always come down to simply war, but rather if a country's Olympic committees violated the Olympic charter in some way.

Russia did get a boost ahead of the 2026 Winter Paralympics, though, as the IOC ruled the nation's flag and anthem can return for the first time in over a decade. It's another indicator Russia's national identity will be fully restored ahead of the 2028 Olympics in the U.S.

On Wednesday, Ukraine announced its officials will not attend the Winter Paralympics over the decision to let Russian and Belarusian athletes compete under their flag.

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