A kick in the Baltics

Appetite among some international federations to continue punishing Russia for invading Ukraine may be decreasing, but those countries who fear attack next are doubling down on trying to keep them out

It probably should not be too much of a surprise that, after nearly four years, international sport is beginning to loosen its sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

The International Judo Federation announced last November it would begin permitting Russian athletes to officially compete under its flag, despite the country still being banned by the International Olympic Committee.

The IJF followed the International Paralympic Committee, who had voted controversially in September to lift restrictions on athletes from Russia. It remains uncertain how many if any Russian athletes will qualify for the Paralympics at Milan Cortina 2026 and compete under the Tricolour at the Games for the first time since Sochi 2014. But they have already resumed representing Russia in other Paralympic-related events.