International volleyball federation lifts Russia ban

The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) reinstated Russian players and teams on Wednesday, one day after the IOC recommended that international sports federations lift any remaining restrictions on athletes from Russia.

"This approach reflects the FIVB’s commitment to protecting the fundamental right of athletes to access sport regardless of their nationality," an FIVB press release stated. "The FIVB remains deeply concerned about the ongoing war in Ukraine and strongly condemns all forms of violence. We continue to hope for a peaceful resolution as soon as possible and remain committed to supporting the Ukrainian volleyball community through the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program."

Whether the Russian flag, anthem and colors will be allowed at competitions will be decided later by the FIVB and the European Volleyball Confederation.

Teams of players from Russia last competed in global championships in beach volleyball and indoor volleyball at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, when they like all Russian athletes at the Games represented the Russian Olympic Committee rather than Russia due to the nation's state-sponsored doping violations.

The FIVB, like many international sports federations, banned athletes from Russia shortly after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The FIVB on Wednesday restored Russia's volleyball teams to their previous spots in world rankings (third for the men, ninth for the women).

Indoor volleyball has historically been Russia's strongest Summer Olympic team sport.

The Russian men's indoor team finished in the top four at every Olympics from 1996 through 2021, including taking gold in 2012 and silver at the Tokyo Games.

The Russian women's indoor team was eliminated in the quarterfinals at every Olympics from 2008 through 2021.

A team of athletes from Russia made the beach volleyball podium for the first time at the Tokyo Games -- Viacheslav Krasilnikov and Oleg Stoyanovskiy took silver, two years after winning the world title.

Athletes from Russia were previously reinstated by other Summer Olympic sports federations including World Aquatics (swimming, diving, artistic swimming and water polo), World Gymnastics, United World Wrestling and the International Weightlifting Federation.

World Athletics, the international governing body for track and field, has not reinstated athletes from Russia.

IOC no longer recommends restrictions on Russian athletes

Athletes from Russia competed as individual neutral athletes at the 2024 and 2026 Olympics.

• Nick Zaccardi,