Russia (and Belarus) is banned from the Olympics.

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So they say...But the truth is, russian and belarusian athletes can still compete, they just can't wave the russian flag or be part of the opening or closing ceremonies (all that flag waving).

Although Russia is the most recent country to be banned from participating in the Olympics, history shows many other countries have suffered the same ordeal. Typically, the Olympic movement strives to create a peaceful world. Therefore, any nation in violation of this mission is banned from participating in the games. This was Russia’s predicament after the World Anti-Doping Agency found that it supported doping among athletes to improve their performance. Although the discovery hardly indicates grievous crimes against humanity, like causing war, it still counters the Olympics' mission.


As a result, no athlete could represent Russia at the Olympics, World Championships, or Paralympics for the next two years (2020-2022). Initially, the ban was set for four years, but the Sports Court of Arbitration reduced the sentence to two years. Before looking at other countries banned from the Olympics in the past, we need to understand the reasons for banishment:

Russia	2016 Rio, 2018 PyeongChang, 2020 Tokyo, 2022 Beijing	State-sponsored doping program. Drug-free Russians have often been allowed to compete independently under the banner Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR)
Afghanistan	2000 Sydney	Discrimination against women and prohibition of sports
Zimbabwe	1972 Munich, 1976 Montreal	Racial minority government
South Africa	1964 Tokyo, 1972 Munich, 1976 Montreal, 1980 Moscow, 1984 Los Angeles, 1988 Barcelona	Aparthied policies
Japan	1948 London	Role in WWII
Germany	1920 Antwerp, 1924 Paris, 1948 London	Role in WWI, role in WWII
Turkey	1920 Antwerp	Role in WWI
Hungary	1920 Antwerp	Role in WWI
Austria	1920 Antwerp	Role in WWI
Bulgaria	1920 Antwerp	Role in WWI

 

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Russia loses appeal against Olympics body over suspension​

Court dismisses Moscow’s complaint about the ban, which is linked to the Kremlin’s occupation of parts of Ukraine.


The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Friday dismissed Russia’s appeal against the International Olympic Committee’s decision to suspend its membership.
Last October, the IOC banned the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) effective immediately for breaching the Olympic Charter by claiming regional sports organizations in four occupied areas of Ukraine. Sports organizations in these territories — Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia — are under the authority of Ukraine’s National Olympic Committee, the IOC said.

The Russian Olympic Committee called the IOC’s suspension a “counterproductive decision with obvious political motivations” and filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in November.
But the court dismissed the appeal Friday, ruling that the board of the IOC “did not breach the principles of legality, equality, predictability or proportionality.”

As a consequence of the suspension, the Russian committee can’t operate as a National Olympic Committee and will not be able to receive any funding from the Olympic Movement.
Russian competitors in many sports could still be allowed to participate in this year’s Paris Olympics as so-called neutral athletes, without an accompanying national flag or anthem.

The Russian Olympic Committee could not immediately be reached for comment.