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Former DIF chairman expects almost full comeback for Russia in international sports
🇩🇰 Denmark /Sports

Former DIF chairman expects almost full comeback for Russia in international sports

From Berlingske · () Danish

Translated from Danish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has effectively paved the way for Russian athletes to return to international competition, according to former Danish Sports Confederation (DIF) chairman Niels Nygaard.
  • Nygaard explains that the IOC no longer has a legal basis to sanction Russia, particularly after Russia withdrew its controversial annexation of local Olympic committees in occupied Ukrainian territories.
  • While some international federations, like World Athletics, may maintain bans, Nygaard anticipates most will follow the IOC's lead, allowing Russian athletes to participate in Olympic qualifiers and potentially the 2028 Games.

Former chairman of the Danish Sports Confederation (DIF), Niels Nygaard, believes Russian athletes are on the verge of a near-complete comeback to international sports. He was unsurprised by the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) recent decisions, having observed signs pointing towards Russia's reintegration into the Olympic community for some time.

The IOC's approach is normally that one does not exclude countries because of acts of war. They do not have a set of rules that allows them to exclude countries because they have gone to war.

— Niels NygaardExplaining the IOC's general policy on excluding nations.

Nygaard asserts that the IOC lacks a current legal foundation to continue sanctioning Russian athletes, a measure implemented following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He points to Russia's earlier annexation of four occupied Ukrainian provinces into its national Olympic committee as the primary justification the IOC had used to maintain the ban. However, since Russia withdrew these local committees months ago, that argument is no longer tenable for the IOC.

The IOC is now in a position where they no longer have any legal or formal grounds to keep the Russians out.

— Niels NygaardOn the lack of legal basis for continued sanctions against Russia.

"The IOC's approach is normally that one does not exclude countries because of acts of war. They do not have a set of rules that allows them to exclude countries because they have gone to war," Nygaard stated. He added that the IOC is now in a position where "they no longer have any legal or formal grounds to keep the Russians out."

In very many international federations, the majority of member countries have long wanted Russia back in the fold. Some have hesitated because the IOC has not made any statement.

— Niels NygaardDescribing the sentiment within international sports federations regarding Russia's return.

Consequently, the IOC has lifted its recommendation against inviting Russian athletes to competitions. While some international federations have already disregarded this recommendation, many more are expected to open their doors to Russian participation in Olympic qualifiers. Nygaard anticipates that the majority of these federations will align with the IOC's guidelines, though he notes that some, like World Athletics, might retain their bans. The IOC has deferred a decision on whether the Russian flag and anthem will be permitted at the 2028 Olympics, but Nygaard considers this a mere formality, expecting full inclusion by then.

As it looks right now, there will be a full opening in 2028.

— Niels NygaardPredicting the full reinstatement of Russian participation by the 2028 Olympics.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Berlingske in Danish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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