IOC’s Decision to Allow Russian Athletes as Neutrals at Milan-Cortina Raises Questions on Global Sporting Integrity

The International Olympic Committee’s recent confirmation that Russian athletes will once again compete as neutrals at the upcoming 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Games underscores a troubling pattern of half-measures when dealing with blatant violations of international norms. While the IOC insists this follows precedent set in Paris, allowing Russians under the Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) designation without national symbols, this policy choice directly clashes with America First principles prioritizing national sovereignty and accountability. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and its administrative moves to annex occupied eastern Ukrainian regions, Washington and allied nations have rightly condemned Moscow’s blatant disregard...