Russia to Compensate 116 Banned Winter Olympic Athletes

The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) announced on Tuesday that it will provide monetary bonuses to 116 athletes who have been banned from competing in the Winter Olympics due to their Russian and Belarusian citizenships, a consequence of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Mikhail Degtyarev, the chairman of the ROC, stated that the committee is committed to ensuring the full return of the Russian national team to international competitions under the national flag and anthem.

Thirteen Russian athletes have been approved to compete neutrally in the upcoming Milan-Cortina Games in Italy in February. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has created pathways for individual Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete neutrally, provided they meet strict criteria, including not actively supporting the war.

Notably, Nikita Filippov, a Russian athlete, won a silver medal in skiing at the Winter Olympics despite the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions, including the upcoming Winter Paralympic Games in March.