IOC ending neutral status vetting for Russian athletes ahead of 2028 LA Olympics

The IOC has instructed Olympic sports bodies to discontinue a three-year program vetting Russian athletes for neutral status ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The decision aligns with the IOC's recent move to allow athletes from Belarus and Russia to compete under their national identities, while maintaining provisional suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee and requiring enhanced doping controls for returning athletes.