The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) has announced it will provide monetary compensation to 116 Russian athletes who were prohibited from competing at the recent Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy.
Russian and Belarusian athletes have faced widespread bans from international sporting events since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While 13 Russian athletes were permitted to compete as neutrals at the Winter Games after meeting strict criteria—including demonstrating no active support for the war—the majority were excluded.
Russian Sports Minister and ROC chairman Mikhail Degtyarev stated that the committee's executive board decided on Tuesday "to award monetary bonuses to all Olympic athletes who were unable to travel to the Games due to treacherous political decisions."
"The Ministry of Sport and the ROC are doing everything possible to ensure the full return of the Russian national team to international competitions under the national flag and with the national anthem," Degtyarev said. "Where necessary, we negotiate; where that fails, we defend the athletes' rights in court so that our team can compete for medals with a full roster."
At the Winter Olympics, Nikita Filippov was the sole Russian athlete to secure a medal, earning silver in ski mountaineering. In a related development, the International Paralympic Committee lifted its suspension of Russia and Belarus in September, allowing six Russian and four Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags at the Winter Paralympic Games in March—marking the first such participation since 2014.
The International Olympic Committee has established a pathway for individual athletes from these nations to compete as neutrals, contingent upon adherence to stringent conditions. However, the ROC's compensation move highlights ongoing tensions and Russia's efforts to support its athletes amid continued international restrictions.