The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Friday in Milan that athletes from Russia and Belarus will be permitted to participate in the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics as neutral individual athletes. IOC President Kirsty Coventry reiterated during a press conference that the decision aligns with the approach taken for the 2024 Paris Olympics, maintaining the same conditions and requirements. The IOC stated that neutral individual athletes who qualify through their respective International Federations' qualification processes will be eligible to compete, provided they meet the participation criteria established by the IOC. According to the IOC's official website, 32 athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport participated in 10 sports during the Paris Olympics. The Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, set to begin on Feb 6 next year, will follow the same regulations applied in Paris. The video shows: Lausanne, Switzerland - June 21, 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 1. Various of headquarters of International Olympic Committee (IOC) Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy - Feb 4, 2025 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland) 2. Various of Olympic rings 3. Various of mountains, buildings 4. Sign reading "Cortina" 5. Various of cable cars, people skiing Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy - Dec 9, 2021 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 6. Various of Olympics rings Milan, Italy - May, 2016 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 7. Various of San Siro Stadium exterior Paris, France - July 23, 2024 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland) 8. Various of flags, Eiffel Tower, Olympic rings [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]