First time since 2020, Russia's flag and national anthem return to Olympics

Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games - Opening Ceremony - Abdoulaye Wade Stadium, Diamniadio, Senegal - October 31, 2026 Russia athletes during the opening ceremony

Russia has returned to the Olympic stage with its national flag and anthem for the first time since 2020, with 13 athletes competing at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal.

The return comes after six years of restrictions linked to the country's doping scandal and Ukraine war.Russian athletes had been required to compete under neutral identities at subsequent Olympic events. They were not allowed to represent their country through its flag, anthem or national symbols. However, the arrangement has changed at the Youth Olympics, which opened on Saturday, October 31.The development follows a gradual easing of restrictions by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2026.

In July, the IOC provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee and withdrew its recommendations restricting the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions. Individual sports federations, however, continue to decide which athletes are eligible to compete.Ukraine has not boycotted sporting events in which Russian athletes have participated. Boycotts were once a common feature of international sport, with three successive Summer Olympics, from 1976 to 1984, affected by them.

In the latter two cases, the IOC was more affected than the intended targets.

Youth Olympics open in Senegal

The Youth Olympic Games opened in Senegal on Saturday, marking the first Olympic event to be held in Africa. The Games are also part of the continent's efforts to play a bigger role in international sport.Tens of thousands of spectators attended the opening ceremony at the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium, near the capital Dakar. Hundreds of drummers and dancers showcased Senegalese and African culture under the Games motto, “Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates.”Performers dressed in yellow, black and white traditional Senegalese gowns came together to form a giant map of Africa. The ceremony also featured West African oral storytelling, concerts by Senegalese singers and the athletes' parade.

Around 2,700 athletes aged 14 to 17 will compete across Dakar, nearby Diamniadio and the beach resort of Saly until November 13.Russia's 13-member contingent is competing under its national flag for the first time at an Olympic event since the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to its suspension.The Games will also feature the first refugee team at a Youth Olympics. The six athletes, based in Kenya and Uganda, will compete in track and field, judo and taekwondo.Athletes will compete for medals across 153 events in 25 sports. Singapore hosted the first Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2010. Dakar was originally scheduled to host the event in 2022, but the coronavirus pandemic led to its postponement.Africa has hosted several major international sporting events in recent years. South Africa became the first African country to host the FIFA World Cup in 2010, while Morocco will co-host the 2030 tournament with Spain and Portugal. Rwanda hosted the continent's first road cycling world championships last year, and Formula 1 is set to return to Africa with a Grand Prix in Rwanda early next decade. Botswana also hosted the World Athletics Relays in May.