Russian Athletes Invited to Olympics in Italy; Flag Use Uncertain
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has invited Russian alpine skiers Yulia Pleshkova and Semen Yefimov, as well as lugers Daria Olesik and Pavel Repilov, to compete in the Olympics in Italy. This was reported by the IOC press service.
The main condition is that the athletes will compete under a neutral status, without the Russian flag and anthem. To participate in the Games, they need to accept the invitation.
Yulia Pleshkova (28 years old) is a two-time Russian champion and a two-time medalist at the Winter Universiade (the World University Games) (2017, 2019). She also participated in the Olympics in Beijing in 2022, where she placed 20th in the downhill. Semen Yefimov (29 years old) is a bronze medalist at the 2017 Universiade and champion in slalom at the 2019 Winter Universiade.
Daria Olesik (21 years old) is the 2024 Russian champion in luge. Pavel Repilov (24 years old) is a winner of Russian championships and champion at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games.
Another 9 Russian athletes have already agreed to participate in the Olympics. Among them: cross-country skiers Daria Nepryaeva and Savely Korostelev, figure skaters Adelia Petroysan and Petr Gumennik, short-track speed skaters Ivan Posashkov and Alena Krylova, ski mountaineer Nikita Filippov, and speed skaters Ksenia Korzhova and Anastasia Semenova.
The Minister of Sports and Chairman of the Russian Olympic Committee, Mikhail Degtyarev, stated that a maximum of 13 athletes will represent Russia at the 2026 Games.
«We will watch and definitely cheer. The discussion about neutral status is difficult. As a citizen and a person who has served 13 years in the State Duma, I understand this. But it is wrong to prevent athletes from competing. They compete for Russia, they bring medals for Russia. And at the same time, we are recovering with varying degrees of success,» Degtyarev was quoted by RIA Novosti.
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games will take place from February 6 to 22 in Milan and Cortina d«Ampezzo. Only a few days remain until the start of the competitions, and the venues are being hastily completed. For more details on the problems that could disrupt the Olympics, read our article.
