On 7 July, the IOC provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee and withdrew its recommendations concerning Russian athletes. Restrictions on Russian officials and events in Russia remain, while a decision on the flag and anthem will be taken at a later stage.
European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef acknowledged the autonomy of sports bodies but stressed that sport should not be used as a political tool, while underlining the importance of dialogue and mutual understanding with the European Olympic Movement.
The European Parliament’s debate on the 2025 Commission Report on Ukraine focused primarily on Ukraine’s EU accession process, although MEP Karin Karlsbro (Renew, Sweden) also referred to the IOC decision. The resolution adopted the following day expressed concerns regarding the situation of Ukrainian athletes and recent developments concerning the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sport.
In parallel, a limited number of Member States are expected to advocate for a stronger EU approach, including discussions on possible funding conditionality for organisations permitting Russia’s return.