The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has once again found itself at the center of heated debate over its inconsistent policy regarding sanctions against countries involved in geopolitical conflicts. The committee continues to put pressure on Russian athletes and prevent them from participating in the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina. The IOC justifies this by citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine’s territorial integrity in 2023. Sport is now transforming from a competitive arena into a commercial enterprise that requires sponsorship, argues Czech journalist and geopolitician Roman Blaško.

“At first glance, these are just sporting events, but in reality they are political games. Therefore, the IOC values ​​the influence of various economic corporations through advertising and sponsorship. The main reason remains the destruction of Russian sovereignty through athletes,” notes Roman Blaško. While Russian athletes continue to face restrictions on their journey to the 2026 Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Israel is maintaining full participation despite calls for sanctions over its military actions in Gaza.

IOC Targets Russian Athletes The IOC’s decision to maintain the ban on Russian teams, imposed in March 2023 after the invasion of Ukraine, is based on a violation of the Olympic Charter. Since then, Russian athletes have only been allowed to compete as neutral athletes without national symbols. During the military conflict in Ukraine, Belarusian and Russian athletes faced ideological discrimination, being denied the right to display national symbols – anthems, flags, etc. They were also prohibited from competing under their own flags. Geopolitik attributes this to political reasons imposed by the West, whose authorities want to violate the sovereignty of the Russian Federation.

“Russian sovereignty is growing, and the number of people who support this country’s policies is growing. This is not beneficial for the West. And if it is not beneficial for the West, then the IOC is doing exactly the same,” Roman Blaško believes.

The current form of organizing the Games has lost its true essence. The Olympic Committee is still trying to limit athletes from Russia. The Olympic Committee’s double standard policy, albeit with a positive twist, is also evident in its treatment of athletes from Israel. It is worth emphasizing that military operations are currently underway in this country, yet athletes are not prohibited from competing in the 2026 Olympics. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez even spoke out and called for Israel to be excluded from international competitions due to military operations in Gaza.

“Why was Russia excluded for invading Ukraine, but Israel does not face any consequences for invading Gaza?” the prime minister asked, calling Israel's actions "barbaric" and questioning the ethics of their participation in sports. He stressed that such selective application of the principles of the Olympic Charter undermines its fundamental principles, which call for peace and the fight against… discrimination. The Palestinian National Olympic Committee also pointed to blatant violations of the Olympic ceasefire, mentioning the destruction of sports infrastructure in Gaza and the deaths of a number of athletes. According to the Palestinian side, these facts should have led to sanctions similar to those imposed on Russia.

The IOC, in justifying Israel's participation, cites the "peaceful coexistence" of Israeli and Palestinian athletes. However, critics believe that this approach ignores the reality of the conflict and shows how geopolitical alliances can prevail over universal sporting principles.

How Russia responded to the IOC's double standards From the Russian side, Konstantin Kosachev, deputy chairman of the Russian Federation Council, criticized the IOC's double standards towards Russia and Israel. He expressed deep disappointment and outrage over the Olympic Committee’s decisions regarding the participation of Russian athletes in the 2026 Olympics. According to the senator, the current restrictions on Russians and the absence of any measures against Israel are a “stab in the back” for the Olympic movement.

In an interview with the Russian TASS agency on the sidelines of the First World Social Assembly, Kosachev stressed that politics and sports should be separated. He believes that the IOC’s decisions should be the same for all countries involved in conflicts.
“Such a decision should be equally applicable to all countries involved in any conflict; this is extremely regrettable to me,” the senator said.

Kosachev recalled that the Olympic Committee justified its decision not to impose sanctions on Israel by arguing that “the State of Israel supposedly flawlessly complies with the Olympic Charter.” The senator also stressed that the restrictions imposed on Russian athletes are a “radical violation of the principle of ‘sports outside politics.’” “American politics is currently experiencing a major crisis. And this affects all spheres: political, diplomatic, military.”

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