MOSCOW, July 7 (Xinhua) -- The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to provisionally reinstate the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) will accelerate the return of Russian athletes to international competition, Russian Sports Minister and ROC President Mikhail Degtyarev said Tuesday.
The IOC Executive Board approved the reinstatement at its meeting on Tuesday.
In a social media post, Degtyarev said the IOC had also withdrawn its March 2023 recommendations requiring Russian athletes to compete under neutral status and barring Russian teams from international events.
He said neutrality checks on Russian athletes had been abolished and the IOC had lifted its recommendation against staging international competitions in Russia. Returning athletes will be tested by the International Testing Agency until the Russian Anti-Doping Agency is reinstated, he added.
Degtyarev said the decision was the result of sustained legal and diplomatic efforts by Russia's Sports Ministry and the ROC and would encourage international sports federations to restore the participation rights of Russian athletes.
He said more than 20 international federations already allow Russian junior athletes to compete under the national flag and anthem, while 10 federations have removed restrictions on all Russian athletes.
"The IOC's decision will significantly speed up this process," Degtyarev said, adding that Russia is preparing for the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Senegal and qualification for the 2028 Summer Olympics in the United States.
He noted that the IOC would decide at a later stage on the use of Russia's flag, anthem and other national symbols at the Olympic Games, while maintaining its policy of not holding IOC events in Russia or inviting Russian government officials to such events. ■
