IOC updates recommendations regarding Belarusian athletes; WDSF Presidium reviewing implementation
The World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) takes note of the decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to no longer recommend any restrictions on the participation of Belarusian athletes, including teams, in competitions governed by International Federations and international sports event organisers.
The IOC Executive Board has lifted the recommended conditions of participation issued on 28 February 2022 and 28 March 2023 as they relate to Belarus and Belarusian athletes.
In its official communication, the IOC underlined its commitment to preserving a values-based and global sporting platform in the context of an increasingly complex geopolitical environment. The IOC also reaffirmed that athletes’ right to access sport and compete free from political interference has been confirmed through the “Fit for the Future” process, endorsed by the IOC Executive Board in September 2025 and reiterated at the Olympic Summit in December 2025.
The IOC noted that, since March 2023, athletes with a Belarusian passport have participated in international competitions as Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs), including the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, without incidents on or off the field of play. The IOC clarified that this decision does not apply to athletes with a Russian passport.
Following this decision, the WDSF Presidium is currently in discussion regarding the adoption of the relevant recommendations and their implementation within WDSF competitions and events, in accordance with the Olympic Charter and WDSF Statutes and regulations.
Further updates will be communicated in due course.
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