Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev has sharply criticized the International Olympic Committee for what he describes as an unjustified delay in reinstating the Russian Olympic Committee. The official made his remarks following the IOC Executive Board's decision to lift all restrictions on Belarusian athletes.
Degtyarev welcomed the move regarding Belarus, calling it a positive step that should serve as a precursor to similar treatment for Russia's Olympic movement. However, he expressed clear disappointment that the IOC's legal commission failed to deliver a verdict on the Russian Olympic Committee case, choosing instead to postpone the decision once again.
The minister emphasized that the Russian Olympic Committee had long ago submitted a comprehensive package of documents to the IOC, demonstrating that all legal grounds for the continued ban had been addressed. Russian legal representatives have now sent a formal inquiry to the IOC regarding the status of these materials.
Degtyarev made it clear that Russia's next steps would depend on the IOC's response to this inquiry. He firmly rejected any attempt to link the Olympic Committee's reinstatement to unrelated political matters, calling such connections unacceptable.
The sports chief pointed to what he sees as a glaring contradiction in the IOC's approach. While the Olympic Committee case remains stalled, Russian athletes have made significant progress in returning to international competition. Junior athletes from Russia now compete in more than 20 sports, while swimmers, judo practitioners, kickboxers, sambo wrestlers, and MMA fighters of all age categories participate under the Russian flag with the national anthem played.
Degtyarev highlighted that the Russian flag has been raised more than 80 times at world and European championships, cups, and tournaments since the beginning of 2026. This positive momentum, he argued, makes the continued delay in the Olympic Committee's case even more difficult to justify.
The Ministry of Sports and the Russian Olympic Committee will continue their vigorous diplomatic and legal efforts to achieve full reinstatement for all Russian athletes, Degtyarev concluded in his statement published on his Telegram channel.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.