Russian flag and national anthem return to Olympics for first time since 2020 as IOC eases restrictions

Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games – Opening Ceremony – Abdoulaye Wade Stadium, Diamniadio, Senegal – October 31, 2026 Athletes from Russia during the opening ceremony Russia has returned to the Olympic stage with its national flag and anthem for the first time since 2020, with 13 athletes competing at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal. The return comes after six years of restrictions linked to the country’s doping scandal and the war in Ukraine.Russian athletes had to compete under neutral identities at subsequent Olympics. They were not allowed to represent their country through its flag, anthem or national symbols. But at the Youth Olympics, which started on Saturday, October 31, the arrangement changed.The development follows the gradual easing of restrictions by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2026. In July, the IOC temporarily lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee and withdrew its recommendations restricting the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions. However, individual sports federations continue to decide which athletes are eligible to compete.Ukraine did not boycott sports events in which Russian athletes participated. Boycotts were once a common feature of international sport, affecting three consecutive Summer Olympics between 1976 and 1984. In the latter two cases, the IOC was hit harder than its intended targets.

The Youth Olympics have started in Senegal

The Youth Olympic Games opened in Senegal on Saturday, the first Olympic event to be held in Africa. The Games are also part of the continent’s push to play a bigger role in international sport.Tens of thousands of spectators attended the opening ceremony at the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium near the capital Dakar. Hundreds of drummers and dancers showcased Senegalese and African culture under the slogan of the Games “Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates”.Performers dressed in yellow, black and white traditional Senegalese robes came together to create a giant map of Africa. The ceremony also included West African oral storytelling, concerts by Senegalese singers and a parade of athletes.Around 2,700 athletes between the ages of 14 and 17 will compete in Dakar, nearby Diamniadia and the beach resort of Saly until November 13.Russia’s 13-member contingent is competing under its national flag at the Olympics for the first time since the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which led to its suspension.The Games will also feature the first refugee team at the Youth Olympics. Six athletes based in Kenya and Uganda will compete in athletics, judo and taekwondo.Athletes will compete for medals in 153 events in 25 sports. Singapore hosted the first Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2010. Dakar was originally scheduled to host the event in 2022, but the coronavirus pandemic led to its postponement.Africa has hosted several major international sporting events in recent years. South Africa became the first African country to host the FIFA World Cup in 2010, while Morocco will co-host the tournament in 2030 with Spain and Portugal. Rwanda hosted the first road cycling world championship last year and Formula 1 is set to return to Africa with the Rwanda Grand Prix early next decade. Botswana also hosted the World Athletics Relays in May.