DIF beklager IOC-beslutning om Rusland
English version below
IOC har besluttet at fjerne udelukkelsen af den russiske olympiske komité. Fremover anbefaler IOC, at alle russiske atleter, også i holdidrætter, samt officials kan deltage ved alle kvalifikationskonkurrencer og ved OL. Dog er den russiske stat fortsat sanktioneret, så politikere ikke kan deltage som gæster ved legene, og på et senere tidspunkt vil IOC beslutte, om atleterne kan deltage ved OL under eget flag og nationalhymne.
Danmarks Idrætsforbund tager IOC’s beslutning til efterretning, men DIF er uenig i den.
Det fastslår DIF’s formand, Hans Natorp.
”Jeg er uenig i IOC’s beslutning. Rusland har gennem en længere årrække vist, at landet ikke respekterer idrættens autonomi, fair play, antidoping og de grundlæggende olympiske værdier. Jeg kan ikke se, at noget har ændret sig, som berettiger, at Rusland nu bliver budt velkommen tilbage,” siger Hans Natorp.
IOC begrunder tiltaget med, at den russiske olympiske komité har lovet alligevel ikke at udføre aktiviteter i de fire annekterede ukrainske provinser.
Ikke overrasket
DIF og Hans Natorp har været en markant stemme i debatten om, hvorvidt Rusland skulle tilbage i varmen. Han anerkender, at IOC har et ønske om, at idrætten ikke skal være en politisk aktør, og at der er mange konflikter i verden i øjeblikket. Ifølge Hans Natorp handler DIF’s position i forhold til Rusland dog ikke om at politisere sporten, men om det modsatte.
”Rusland har politiseret sporten. Når sport bliver brugt som statsligt redskab, er det idrættens ansvar at sige fra. Det olympiske fællesskab kræver respekt for spillereglerne, og Rusland har gentagne gange vist, at landet ikke respekterer idrættens uafhængighed og de olympiske principper,” siger Hans Natorp.
Selv om Hans Natorp beklager beslutningen, kommer den ikke som en overraskelse for ham.
”Det har været tydeligt i et stykke tid, at flere lande har bevæget sig i en anden retning end den, som Danmark og de øvrige nordiske lande står for. Vi har kæmpet imod hele vejen igennem, og ingen har været i tvivl om Danmarks holdning. Men vi må også konstatere, at vi efterhånden udgør et klart mindretal,” siger Hans Natorp.
Ingen dansk boykot
Hans Natorp understreger, at DIF ikke ønsker boykot og ikke vil opfordre danske specialforbund eller danske atleter til at afstå fra at deltage i konkurrencer, hvor russiske atleter også er til stede. Det samme budskab lyder til danske arrangører af internationale idrætsevents, hvor Rusland nu har udsigt til at deltage.
”Vi bliver nødt til at respektere beslutningen, selv om vi er uenige. Danske atleter skal ikke bøde for, at Rusland deltager. Det her har været og skal være en idrætspolitisk kamp, som føres af idrætspolitikere. Vi skal ikke sende regningen videre til de danske atleter, for så vil vi netop gøre os skyldige i at politisere sporten,” siger Hans Natorp.
DIF’s udgangspunkt er fortsat, at sportens internationale fællesskab bør samle atleter fra hele verden i fredelig konkurrence på tværs af politiske konflikter og uenigheder. Men ifølge Hans Natorp har Rusland gennem en årrække forbrudt sig så markant mod sportens og den olympiske bevægelses grundlæggende værdier, at en fuld tilbagevenden er forkert.
”Det fantastiske ved sporten er, at den kan samle mennesker på tværs af lande og konflikter. Derfor er jeg grundlæggende heller ikke tilhænger af udelukkelser. Men i Ruslands tilfælde er der tale om noget helt særligt. Rusland har undermineret tilliden til den olympiske bevægelse, og derfor mener vi, at IOC’s beslutning er forkert,” siger Hans Natorp.
Beslutningen om, hvorvidt de må deltage under flag og nationalmelodi ved OL afgøres på et senere tidspunkt af IOC.
Den russiske stat er fortsat sanktioneret, så fx præsident Vladimir Putin ikke kan overvære OL, og IOC vil ikke afvikle events i Rusland.
Tidslinje over IOC-sanktioner mod Rusland
Juli 2016: Rio 2016 – ingen total udelukkelse, men skærpede adgangskrav
Efter McLaren-rapporten om statsunderstøttet doping i Rusland valgte IOC ikke at udelukke hele Rusland fra OL i Rio. I stedet overlod IOC det til de internationale specialforbund at vurdere russiske atleters deltagelse individuelt. IOC stillede dog særlige krav, blandt andet at russiske atleter med tidligere dopingsanktioner ikke måtte deltage.
December 2017: ROC suspenderes før Pyeongchang 2018
IOC suspenderede den Russiske Olympiske Komité, ROC, og udelukkede Rusland som nation fra vinter-OL i Pyeongchang 2018 på grund af dopingkomplekset fra især Sotji 2014. Russiske atleter kunne kun deltage som neutrale under betegnelsen Olympic Athlete from Russia og kun efter individuel godkendelse.
Februar 2018: Rusland deltager neutralt – men nye dopingsager opstår
168 russiske atleter deltog i vinter-OL iPyeongchang som neutrale “Olympic Athletes from Russia”. Under legene kom der nye dopingsager mod russiske atleter, blandt andet i curling og bobslæde.
Februar 2018: ROC genoptages efter Pyeongchang
Efter legene ophævede IOC suspenderingen af ROC, da de resterende dopingprøver fra russiske atleter i Pyeongchang var negative.
December 2019: Ny udelukkelse efter manipulation med dopingdata
WADA udelukkede Rusland fra store internationale sportsbegivenheder i fire år, blandt andet OL, efter afsløring af manipulation med data fra Moskvas antidopinglaboratorium.
December 2020: CAS halverer sanktionen til to år
Den internationale sportsdomstol, CAS, fastholdt sanktionerne mod Rusland, men reducerede perioden fra fire til to år, frem til 16. december 2022. Russiske atleter kunne fortsat deltage under begrænsede neutrale rammer.
Tokyo 2021 og Beijing 2022: Rusland deltager som ROC – ikke som Rusland
Ved både sommer-OL i Tokyo i 2021 og ved vinter-OL i Beijing i 2022 deltog russiske atleter under betegnelsen ROC og ikke som “Russia”. Det russiske flag og den russiske nationalsang var ikke tilladt som følge af dopingsanktionerne.
24.-28. februar 2022: IOC reagerer på invasionen af Ukraine
Efter Ruslands invasion af Ukraine fordømte IOC bruddet på den olympiske våbenhvile. Den 28. februar 2022 anbefalede IOC, at internationale specialforbund ikke inviterede eller tillod russiske og belarusiske atleter og officials at deltage i internationale konkurrencer. Hvor udelukkelse ikke var praktisk eller juridisk mulig, anbefalede IOC neutral deltagelse uden flag, farver, hymne eller nationale symboler. IOC fastholdt også anbefalingen om ikke at afholde internationale sportsbegivenheder i Rusland eller Belarus.
Marts 2023: IOC åbner for mulig neutral tilbagevenden
IOC bevægede sig fra en bred udelukkelseslinje til en model, hvor enkelte russiske og belarusiske atleter igen kunne deltage som individuelle neutrale atleter, hvis de opfyldte stramme kriterier. De måtte ikke støtte krigen aktivt, måtte ikke have tilknytning til militær eller sikkerhedstjenester, og de måtte ikke repræsentere Rusland eller Belarus som stat.
Oktober 2023: ROC suspenderes igen
IOC suspenderede ROC med øjeblikkelig virkning, efter ROC havde anerkendt regionale olympiske råd i de russisk-besatte ukrainske områder Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson og Zaporizjzja. IOC vurderede, at det brød med det ukrainske NOC’s territoriale integritet og dermed med det olympiske charter. Suspensionen betød, at ROC ikke længere kunne fungere som national olympisk komité efter IOC’s regler og ikke kunne modtage olympisk finansiering.
December 2023: IOC tillader begrænset neutral deltagelse ved Paris 2024
IOC besluttede, at russiske og belarusiske atleter kunne deltage ved Paris 2024 som AIN – Individual Neutral Athletes, hvis de kvalificerede sig og bestod IOC’s screening. Hold fra Rusland og Belarus var fortsat udelukket. Atleter med støtte til krigen eller tilknytning til militær/sikkerhedstjenester var udelukket.
Marts 2024: Russiske og belarusiske neutrale atleter udelukkes fra åbningsceremonien i Paris
IOC besluttede, at neutrale russiske og belarusiske atleter ikke måtte deltage i delegationsparaden ved åbningsceremonien i Paris 2024. Deres medaljer skulle heller ikke tælle i den officielle medaljetabel.
August 2024: AIN-atleter får adgang til afslutningsceremonien
IOC tillod russiske og belarusiske neutrale atleter at deltage i afslutningsceremonien, hvor atleter traditionelt går samlet og ikke nationsopdelt.
September 2025: IOC fastholder Paris-modellen for Milano-Cortina 2026
IOC meddelte, at russiske og belarusiske atleter også ved vinter-OL i Milano-Cortina 2026 kun kunne deltage som neutrale individuelle atleter uden flag og hymne. De skulle screenes for støtte til krigen og for tilknytning til militær eller sikkerhedstjenester. Russiske hold var fortsat udelukket.
December 2025: IOC anbefaler lempelser for ungdomsatleter
IOC anbefalede, at russiske og belarusiske ungdomsatleter igen kunne deltage i internationale ungdomskonkurrencer med nationale symboler, herunder flag og hymne. Det gjaldt ikke voksne eliteatleter ved vinter-OL 2026, hvor neutralmodellen fortsat var gældende.
Maj 2026: IOC byder Belarus velkommen tilbage
IOC anbefaler alle internationale forbund at fjerne alle restriktioner mod belarusiske atleter. Det vil sige, at de bør kunne deltage med eget flag, ganske som alle andre atleter. IOC undlader at komme med en lignende anbefaling angående de russiske atleter.
Årsagen er både, at Rusland ikke er så langt fremme som Belarus i forhold til overholdelse af det olympiske charter, og at WADA igen er i gang med at undersøge RUSADA for overtrædelse af antidopingreglerne.
Juli 2026: IOC byder Rusland velkommen tilbage
IOC anbefaler alle internationale forbund at fjerne alle restriktioner mod russiske atleter – også dem som deltager i holdidrætter. Det vil sige, at de bør have lov til at deltage i alle turneringer – deriblandt dem, som tæller med i OL-kvalifikationen.
English version
The IOC has decided to lift the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee. Going forward, the IOC recommends that all Russian athletes, including those in team sports, as well as officials, be allowed to participate in all qualification events and at the Olympic Games. However, the Russian state remains subject to sanctions, meaning that politicians may not attend the Games as guests. At a later stage, the IOC will decide whether the athletes may compete at the Olympic Games under their own flag and national anthem.
The National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark, DIF, acknowledges the IOC’s decision but disagrees with it.
This is the firm position of DIF President Hans Natorp.
“I disagree with the IOC’s decision. For many years, Russia has demonstrated that it does not respect the autonomy of sport, fair play, anti-doping rules or the fundamental Olympic values. I do not see that anything has changed to justify welcoming Russia back,” says Hans Natorp.
The IOC has justified the move by stating that the Russian Olympic Committee has pledged not to carry out activities in the four annexed Ukrainian regions after all.
Not surprised
DIF and Hans Natorp have been prominent voices in the debate over whether Russia should be welcomed back. He acknowledges that the IOC wants sport not to act as a political player and that there are currently many conflicts around the world. According to Hans Natorp, however, DIF’s position on Russia is not about politicising sport, but rather the opposite.
“Russia has politicised sport. When sport is used as an instrument of the state, it is the responsibility of the sporting community to speak out. The Olympic community requires respect for the rules, and Russia has repeatedly shown that it does not respect the independence of sport or the Olympic principles,” says Hans Natorp.
Although Hans Natorp regrets the decision, it does not come as a surprise to him.
“It has been clear for some time that several countries have moved in a different direction from the position taken by Denmark and the other Nordic countries. We have opposed this throughout, and no one has been in any doubt about Denmark’s position. However, we must also acknowledge that we now constitute a clear minority,” says Hans Natorp.
No Danish boycott
Hans Natorp stresses that DIF does not support a boycott and will not encourage Danish sports federations or Danish athletes to refrain from participating in competitions in which Russian athletes are also present. The same message applies to Danish organisers of international sporting events in which Russia may now be expected to participate.
“We have to respect the decision, even though we disagree with it. Danish athletes should not be made to pay the price for Russia’s participation. This has been, and must remain, a sports policy issue to be handled by sports leaders. We must not pass the consequences on to Danish athletes, because doing so would itself amount to politicising sport,” says Hans Natorp.
DIF’s fundamental position remains that the international sporting community should bring together athletes from around the world in peaceful competition across political conflicts and disagreements. According to Hans Natorp, however, Russia has violated the fundamental values of sport and the Olympic Movement so seriously over a number of years that a full return is wrong.
“The great thing about sport is that it can bring people together across countries and conflicts. For that reason, I am not generally in favour of exclusions. But Russia is an exceptional case. Russia has undermined trust in the Olympic Movement, and that is why we believe the IOC’s decision is wrong,” says Hans Natorp.
The IOC will decide at a later stage whether they may compete at the Olympic Games under their national flag and anthem.
The Russian state remains subject to sanctions, meaning that, for example, President Vladimir Putin may not attend the Olympic Games, and the IOC will not stage events in Russia.
Timeline of IOC sanctions against Russia
July 2016: Rio 2016 – no blanket ban, but stricter eligibility requirements
Following the McLaren Report on state-sponsored doping in Russia, the IOC decided not to exclude Russia entirely from the Olympic Games in Rio. Instead, it left it to the international sports federations to assess the eligibility of Russian athletes individually. However, the IOC imposed specific requirements, including a ban on Russian athletes who had previously received doping sanctions.
December 2017: ROC suspended ahead of PyeongChang 2018
The IOC suspended the Russian Olympic Committee, ROC, and excluded Russia as a nation from the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games because of the doping scandal, particularly in connection with Sochi 2014. Russian athletes were only permitted to compete as neutrals under the designation Olympic Athlete from Russia and only following individual approval.
February 2018: Russia competes as neutrals, but new doping cases emerge
A total of 168 Russian athletes competed at the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games as neutral “Olympic Athletes from Russia”. During the Games, new doping cases involving Russian athletes emerged, including in curling and bobsleigh.
February 2018: ROC reinstated after PyeongChang
Following the Games, the IOC lifted the suspension of the ROC after the remaining doping samples from Russian athletes in PyeongChang tested negative.
December 2019: New ban following manipulation of doping data
WADA banned Russia from major international sporting events for four years, including the Olympic Games, following revelations that data from the Moscow anti-doping laboratory had been manipulated.
December 2020: CAS reduces the sanction to two years
The Court of Arbitration for Sport, CAS, upheld the sanctions against Russia but reduced the period from four years to two, ending on 16 December 2022. Russian athletes were still permitted to compete under restricted neutral conditions.
Tokyo 2021 and Beijing 2022: Russia competes as ROC, not as Russia
At both the Tokyo 2021 Summer Olympics and the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, Russian athletes competed under the designation ROC rather than “Russia”. The Russian flag and national anthem were not permitted as a result of the doping sanctions.
24–28 February 2022: IOC responds to the invasion of Ukraine
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the IOC condemned the breach of the Olympic Truce. On 28 February 2022, the IOC recommended that international sports federations should not invite or allow Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials to participate in international competitions. Where exclusion was not practically or legally possible, the IOC recommended neutral participation without flags, colours, anthems or national symbols. The IOC also maintained its recommendation that international sporting events should not be held in Russia or Belarus.
March 2023: IOC opens the door to a possible neutral return
The IOC moved away from a broad exclusion policy towards a model under which individual Russian and Belarusian athletes could once again compete as Individual Neutral Athletes, provided they met strict criteria. They were not permitted to actively support the war, have links to the military or security services, or represent Russia or Belarus as a state.
October 2023: ROC suspended again
The IOC suspended the ROC with immediate effect after it recognised regional Olympic councils in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. The IOC found that this violated the territorial integrity of the Ukrainian NOC and therefore breached the Olympic Charter. The suspension meant that the ROC could no longer operate as a national Olympic committee under IOC rules and was no longer eligible to receive Olympic funding.
December 2023: IOC allows limited neutral participation at Paris 2024
The IOC decided that Russian and Belarusian athletes could compete at Paris 2024 as AINs – Individual Neutral Athletes – provided they qualified and passed the IOC’s screening process. Teams from Russia and Belarus remained excluded. Athletes who supported the war or had links to the military or security services were barred from participating.
March 2024: Russian and Belarusian neutral athletes excluded from the opening ceremony in Paris
The IOC decided that neutral Russian and Belarusian athletes would not be permitted to take part in the parade of delegations at the Paris 2024 opening ceremony. Their medals would also not be included in the official medal table.
August 2024: AIN athletes permitted to attend the closing ceremony
The IOC allowed Russian and Belarusian neutral athletes to participate in the closing ceremony, where athletes traditionally enter together rather than in national delegations.
September 2025: IOC maintains the Paris model for Milano Cortina 2026
The IOC announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes would also only be permitted to compete at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games as Individual Neutral Athletes without flags or anthems. They would be screened for support for the war and links to the military or security services. Russian teams remained excluded.
December 2025: IOC recommends easing restrictions for youth athletes
The IOC recommended that Russian and Belarusian youth athletes should once again be allowed to participate in international youth competitions using national symbols, including their flags and anthems. This did not apply to adult elite athletes at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, where the neutral participation model remained in place.
May 2026: IOC welcomes Belarus back
The IOC recommends that all international federations remove all restrictions on Belarusian athletes. This means that they should be allowed to compete under their own flag, on the same basis as all other athletes. The IOC does not issue a similar recommendation regarding Russian athletes.
The reasons are both that Russia has not progressed as far as Belarus in complying with the Olympic Charter and that WADA is once again investigating RUSADA for possible violations of anti-doping rules.
July 2026: IOC welcomes Russia back
The IOC recommends that all international federations remove all restrictions on Russian athletes, including those competing in team sports. This means that they should be permitted to participate in all competitions, including those counting towards Olympic qualification.