Individual Neutral Athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics

Individual Neutral Athletes at the
2026 Winter Olympics
The final version of the AIN flag assigned by the IOC on 19 March 2024
IOC codeAIN
NOCAthlètes Individuels Neutres
in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
6 February 2026 (2026-02-06) – 22 February 2026 (2026-02-22)
Competitors20 (6 men and 14 women) in 8 sports
Flag bearer N/A (not participating in Parade of Nations)
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
1
Bronze
0
Total
1
Winter Olympics appearances (overview)
Other related appearances
 Soviet Union (1956–1988)
 Unified Team (1992)
 Russia (1994–2014)
 Olympic Athletes from Russia (2018)
 ROC (2022)
 Belarus (1994–2022)

Individual Neutral Athletes[a] is the name used to represent approved individual Russian and Belarusian athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics, after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned those nations' previous designations due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 that continued into the duration of the games. The IOC country code is AIN, from the French athlètes individuels neutres.[1]

The delegation competed under the same conditions as for the 2024 Summer Olympics. It was banned from using the Olympic flag and Olympic anthem, which was the usual custom for neutral designated athletes in previous games. They instead used a teal flag depicting a circular AIN emblem and a one-off instrumental anthem, both assigned by the IOC.[2][3][4] Individual neutral athletes had to be first background checked and then approved by each sport's international federation, and then by a special panel created by the IOC. As individual athletes, they could not compete in team events.[5] Due to the AIN participating as a neutral delegation under certain conditions, they did not march in the parade of nations during the opening ceremony and did not receive an official ranking in the medal tables.[3]

While the flag uses the singular wording "Individual Neutral Athlete", the IOC uses the plural wording "Individual Neutral Athletes" in prose.[6]

Background

Timeline

Further information: International sporting sanctions during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
See also: Individual Neutral Athletes at the 2024 Summer Olympics § Timeline

In December 2024, the International Skating Union announced that athletes from Belarus and Russia would be allowed to participate in events at the 2026 Winter Olympics; if qualified, they would compete under the Individual Neutral Athlete banner, as was done at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.[8] At the 2024 Summer Olympics, 15 Russian athletes and 17 Belarusian athletes competed as individual neutral athletes.[9]

In the same month, the International Ski Mountaineering Federation announced that five Russian ski mountaineers would be allowed to compete as individual neutral athletes in the 2026 Winter Olympics qualifiers.[10]

The IOC announced in September 2025 that Individual Neutral Athletes would compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics under the same rules as for the 2024 Summer Olympics, including the same eligibility requirements, teal flag, anthem, and the same restriction disallowing them from competing in team events.[3]

Controversies

On 29 January 2026, Latvian Public Media, which is a part of the Public Broadcasting of Latvia, announced it would not cover the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes competing as Individual Neutral Athletes, including their individual events. Results and rankings would be displayed, but with such athletes missing. Except for situations when complete separation is not possible, live broadcasts would be halted during Russian and Belarusian athletes' performances. Whether this happened, the LTV7 coverage would either switch to a different sport, air full-length interviews with Latvian athletes, or shift to other content. Broadcasts could also be stopped for advertisement breaks, and live Olympic programming could also end earlier than advertised.[11] Earlier that month, Tom Circenis, the TV3 Group's director of sports programming, confirmed that the production team of their coverage would stop their Olympic broadcasts on linear channels whenever there was a Russian and Belarusian athlete competing in an individual contest (where competitors compete one at a time) and go straight to a full-length commercial break each time, describing this as an editorial decision coordinated with the Latvian Olympic Committee. The policy that was written up for the coverage constitutes a partial boycott in response to the participation of neutral athletes from "aggressor countries". TV3 also decided that Latvia’s performances in team events such as bobsleigh and ice hockey were the main priority, and not necessarily those of individual athletes. This was not new, as additional commercial breaks were added into coverage of the European Luge Championships the previous week, especially during Russian athletes' runs, but this caused other athletes' runs to either be aired incomplete or be missing from the broadcasts.[12][13]

Medalists

Further information: 2026 Winter Olympics medal table and List of 2026 Winter Olympics medal winners
Medal Name Country Sport Event Date
 Silver Nikita Filippov Russia Ski mountaineering Men's sprint 19 February

Competitors

The following is the list of number of competitors participating at the Games per sport/discipline.

20 competitors from the following nations competed under the AIN banner:

  1. Belarus – 7 competitors
  2. Russia – 13 competitors[14]

The following is a list of the number of Individual Neutral Athletes that participated at the Games:

Sport Men Women Total
Belarus Russia Belarus Russia
Alpine skiing 0 1 1 1 3
Cross-country skiing 0 1 1 1 3
Figure skating 0 1 1 1 3
Freestyle skiing 0 0 3 0 3
Luge 0 1 0 1 2
Short-track speed skating 0 1 0 1 2
Ski mountaineering 0 1 0 0 1
Speed skating 0 0 1 2 3
Total 0 6 7 7 20

Alpine skiing

Main articles: Alpine skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics and Alpine skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics – Qualification

Two female alpine skiers and one male alpine skier qualified as Individual Neutral Athletes through the basic quota.[15]

Athlete From Event Run 1 Run 2 Total
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Simon Efimov Russia Men's slalom DNF
Julia Pleshkova Women's downhill N/a 1:39.69 22
Women's super-G 1:26.32 19
Maria Shkanova Belarus Women's slalom 51.86 43 56.08 37 1:47.94 37

Cross-country skiing

Main articles: Cross-country skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics and Cross-country skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics – Qualification

Following the completion of the 2025–26 FIS Cross-Country World Cup in the first World Cup period (28 November – 14 December 2025), a further two female athletes and one male athlete qualified as Individual Neutral Athletes.[16][17]

Distance

Athlete From Event Classical Freestyle Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Deficit Rank
Savelii Korostelev Russia Men's 10 km freestyle N/a 21:42.3 +1:06.1 15
Men's 20 km skiathlon 23:24.7 6 22:23.6 4 46:14.6 +3.6 4
Men's 50 km classical N/a 2:10:23.1 +3:38.3 5
Hanna Karaliova Belarus Women's 10 km freestyle N/a 25:59.3 +3:10.1 45
Women's 20 km skiathlon 30:00.5 35 29:12.9 34 59:45.6 +6:00.4 34
Dariya Nepryaeva Russia Women's 10 km freestyle N/a 24:45.0 +1:55.8 21
Women's 20 km skiathlon 29:01.4 20 28:07.7 19 57:41.3 +3:56.1 17
Women's 50 km classical N/a Disqualified

Sprint

Athlete From Event Qualification Quarterfinal Semifinal Final Rank
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank Time
Savelii Korostelev Russia Men's sprint 3:19.88 35 Did not advance
Hanna Karaliova Belarus Women's sprint 3:57.25 48
Dariya Nepryaeva Russia 3:51.60 36

Figure skating

Main articles: Figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics and Figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics – Qualification

One Individual Neutral Athlete qualified in men's singles and two in women's singles at the ISU Skate to Milano Figure Skating Qualifier 2025 in Beijing, China.[18][19][20]

Athlete From Event SP FP Total
Points Rank Points Rank Points Rank
Petr Gumennik Russia Men's singles 86.72 12 Q 184.49 4 271.21 6
Adeliia Petrosian Women's singles 72.89 5 Q 141.64 5 214.53 6
Viktoriia Safonova Belarus 54.57 26 Did not advance

Freestyle skiing

Main articles: Freestyle skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics and Freestyle skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics – Qualification
Athlete From Event Qualification Final
Jump 1 Jump 2 Best Rank Final 1 Final 2
Points Rank Points Points Jump 1 Jump 2 Best Rank Points Rank
Anastasiya Andryianava Belarus Women's aerials 74.02 15 70.39 74.02 16 Did not advance
Anna Derugo 58.90 18 71.63 71.63 17
Hanna Huskova 88.29 7 82.73 88.29 8 Q 86.44 100.29 100.29 8 Did not advance

Luge

Main articles: Luge at the 2026 Winter Olympics and Luge at the 2026 Winter Olympics – Qualification
Athlete From Event Run 1 Run 2 Run 3 Run 4 Total
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Pavel Repilov Russia Men's singles 53.861 17 53.847 15 53.692 16 53.563 11 3:34.963 14
Daria Olesik Women's singles 53.289 13 53.362 15 53.348 14 53.211 14 3:33.210 13

Short-track speed skating

Main articles: Short-track speed skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics and Short-track speed skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics – Qualification

Two short-track speed skaters (one per gender) qualified as Individual Neutral Athletes after the conclusion of the 2025–26 ISU Short Track World Tour.[21]

Athlete From Event Heat Quarterfinal Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Ivan Posashkov Russia Men's 1000 m PEN Did not advance
Men's 1500 m N/a 2:19.117 5 Did not advance
Alena Krylova Women's 500 m 1:06.997 4 Did not advance
Women's 1000 m 1:28.495 3 q 2:31.857 4 ADV 2:10.169 5 QB 1:31.702 9

Ski mountaineering

Main articles: Ski mountaineering at the 2026 Winter Olympics and Ski mountaineering at the 2026 Winter Olympics – Qualification

One male ski mountaineer qualified as an Individual Neutral Athlete through the 2025 ISMF World Championships.[22][23]

Athlete From Event Heat Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Nikita Filippov Russia Men's sprint 2:39.84 2 Q 2:34.53 2 Q 2:35.55

Speed skating

Main articles: Speed skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics and Speed skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics – Qualification

Three female speed skaters qualified as Individual Neutral Athletes through performances at the 2025–26 ISU Speed Skating World Cup.[24]

Athlete From Event Race
Time Rank
Kseniia Korzhova Russia Women's 3000 m 4:05.84 12
Maryna Zuyeva Belarus 4:07.09 15
Women's 5000 m 6:57.70 6

Mass start

Athlete From Event Semifinal Final
Points Time Rank Points Time Rank
Anastasiia Semenova Russia Women's 1 8:45.91 9 Did not advance
Maryna Zuyeva Belarus 0 8:39.63 11

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Russian: Индивидуальные нейтральные спортсмены, romanized: Individual'nyye neytral'nyye sportsmeny; Belarusian: Індывідуальныя нейтральныя спартсмены, romanized: Indyviduaĺnyja niejtraĺnyja spartsmieny; French: Athlètes Individuels Neutres, AIN

References

  1. ^ "La commission exécutive du CIO admet les athlètes individuels neutres aux Jeux Olympiques de Paris 2024 et impose des conditions d'admission strictes". Olympics.com (in French). 8 December 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  2. ^ Carpenter, Les (20 March 2024). "Panel including Pau Gasol will decide Olympic eligibility for Russians". Washington Post. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Individual Neutral Athletes to compete at Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games under same conditions as for Paris 2024". International Olympic Committee. 19 September 2025. Archived from the original on 13 January 2026.
  4. ^ "The 15 Russian 'neutrals' at the Paris Olympics are politically isolated and rarely in the spotlight". Associated Press News. 4 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Russia still banned, but "things change", says Sebastian Coe". 20 December 2023.
  6. ^ Individual Neutral Athletes at the Olympic Games Paris 2024
  7. ^ Principles of participation for Individual Neutral Athletes olympics.com December 2023
  8. ^ Agence France-Presse (20 December 2024). "Russian Skaters Allowed to Compete as Neutrals in 2026 Winter Olympics". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  9. ^ Walker-Roberts, James (10 August 2024). "Paris Olympic Games 2024: Will Russian and Belarusian athletes compete? What country is AIN? Can they win medals?". TNT Sports. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  10. ^ Carro, Javier (30 December 2024). "Five Russian athletes authorised to compete internationally". Inside the Games. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  11. ^ "'Neutral' competitors? No thanks!". LSM. Archived from the original on 4 February 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  12. ^ https://united24media.com/latest-news/latvian-tv3-says-neutral-russians-wont-get-airtime-theyll-get-ad-breaks-15222
  13. ^ "Latvijas Sabiedriskais medijs neatspoguļos Krievijas un Baltkrievijas sportistu dalību Ziemas olimpiskajās spēlēs". Diena (in Latvian). Archived from the original on 30 January 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  14. ^ ЦСП опубликовал итоговый список россиян, которые выступят на Олимпиаде. RBK (in Russian). 2026-01-28. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
  15. ^ "Alpine Skiing quotas list for Olympic Winter Games 2026". International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). Retrieved 28 December 2025.
  16. ^ "Cross-Country quotas list for Olympic Winter Games 2026". International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). Retrieved 28 December 2025.
  17. ^ Massot, Arthur (15 December 2025). "Lebanon, Colombia or Thailand: these small nations have secured their place at the 2026 Olympic Games". www.nordicmag.info. Nordic Mag. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
  18. ^ "ISU Skate to Milano Figure Skating Qualifier 2025: Petr Gumennik wins men's singles by 34 points; Republic of Korea, Mexico, Ukraine, Chinese Taipei secure Olympic quotas". International Olympic Committee (IOC). Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  19. ^ Lena Smirnova (20 September 2025). "ISU Skate to Milano Figure Skating Qualifier 2025: Adeliia Petrosian tops women's event while Georgia, Belgium and PR China secure Olympic quotas". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  20. ^ "ISU Skate to Milano Figure Skating Qualifier 2025 preview: Full schedule and how to watch live". Olympics.com. Archived from the original on 20 September 2025. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  21. ^ "Communication No. 2755 XXV Olympic Winter Games 2026 Milano Cortina Qualified quota places Short Track" (PDF). www.isu.org. Lausanne, Switzerland: International Skating Union. 10 December 2025. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  22. ^ "Olympic Mixed relay ranking list" (PDF). ismf-ski.org. International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF). Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  23. ^ "Olympic Sprint Ranking List" (PDF). ismf-ski.org. International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF). Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  24. ^ "Communication No. 2758 XXV Olympic Winter Games 2026 Milano Cortina Entries Speed Skating" (PDF). www.isu.org. Lausanne, Switzerland: International Skating Union (ISU). 19 December 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
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