Belarus’ NOC welcomes IOC Executive Board’s decision of 7 May 2026 regarding Belarusian athletes

This decision is of great significance for the entire Belarusian sports community and is a long-awaited event for every athlete in our country.

On behalf of the entire Belarusian sports community, we express our gratitude to IOC President Kirsty Coventry for her balanced and principled stance.

The NOC of Belarus fully supports the IOC’s statement that athletes’ participation in international competitions should not depend on political decisions. We firmly believe that sport is meant to serve as a unifying force and must remain a platform free from political influence, where athletes compete on equal terms regardless of external circumstances.

We express our hope for the swift restoration of the rights of all athletes who have faced restrictions on political grounds.

We trust that the decision of the International Olympic Committee will serve as a defining guideline for international sports federations, which will promptly lift all restrictions on Belarusian athletes across all sports.

Press service of the NOC of Belarus
Photos by the NOC of Belarus