Russian Athletes Compete as Neutrals Again – Here's How They Fared
32 Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) from Russia participated at Milano Cortina, combining for 2 gold, 4 silver, and 6 bronze medals.
MILANO CORTINA, Italy – For the third consecutive Winter Olympics, Russian athletes competed without their flag, their anthem, or their nation's name. And for the third consecutive Games, they still left with medals.
A total of 32 athletes from Russia participated under the designation "Individual Neutral Athletes" (AIN). Their final tally: 2 gold, 4 silver, 6 bronze — which would have placed them 12th in the official medal table if counted as a nation.
CONDITIONS OF NEUTRALITY
To compete, Russian athletes had to: show no pro-war symbols, accept no state funding, compete only as individuals (no team sports), and sign a declaration respecting the Olympic Charter. Five athletes were rejected for past pro-war social media posts.
WHO SUCCEEDED
Alexander Bolshunov, the cross-country skier who won three golds at Beijing 2022, took silver in the skiathlon and bronze in both the 50km and 15km. After his final race, he was asked if he missed the Russian anthem. "I miss peace," he said carefully. "I miss sport being separate from politics."
Anna Shcherbakova returned at 22 to win bronze in women's figure skating, skating to Italian opera — a deliberate nod to the host nation. She declined all media interviews after her events.
THE PROTESTS
Ukrainian competitors refused the same podium as Russians twice. Biathlon gold medalist Dmytro Pidruchnyi turned his back during the ceremony when neutral bronze medalist Eduard Latypov was announced.
"They are not neutral," Pidruchnyi said. "They are Russian. The flag does not change that."
The IOC defended the policy: "We cannot punish athletes for the actions of their government. They competed clean."
WHAT'S NEXT
Whether Russia will be reinstated for 2030 depends entirely on the war in Ukraine. For the 32 neutral athletes, the future is uncertain. Young figure skater Sofia Akateva (19, finished 5th) had a simple wish: "I just want to skate. I don't want to think about flags."
Devin Mallonee
Devin Mallonee is a sports journalist and performance nutrition writer with over a decade of experience covering elite athletics, Olympic competitions, and the science of human performance. Devin Mallonee has followed competitive sports from the grassroots level all the way to the world stage, developing a deep understanding of what separates good athletes from great ones — and the role nutrition plays in that equation.
As the lead sports editor at Dad's Sports News, Devin Mallonee brings an athlete's perspective to every story. Having competed in endurance sports and strength training throughout his life, Devin Mallonee understands firsthand what it takes to push past physical limits — and how proper supplementation and recovery make that possible. His writing blends technical analysis with accessible storytelling, making complex topics in sports science engaging for everyday readers and serious competitors alike.
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