13 countries have been ‘banned’ from competing at the Olympic Games

Some 13 countries in one form or another have been banned from competing at either the summer or winter Olympics due to various reasons.The American city of Los Angeles will host the next Olympics in 2028, having been the only candidate to hold it when it was decided back in 2017, when Paris was awarded last summer’s Games.At Paris, athletes were banned from competing under the Russian and Belarusian flag owing to both nations being sanctioned following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which remains ongoing to this day.Athletes from both nations were permitted to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes (INA) instead – and it is far from the first time countries have been banned from competing at the Olympics.Countries banned from the OlympicsRussia has been banned officially from the Olympics since 2017 after the nation’s state-sponsored doping scandal came to light, though individual athletes have been permitted to compete at both the summer and winter games through various means.Conflict has been a common reason for excluding countries from competing at the Olympics, and the two world wars led to this situation with several nations being banned from its athletes competing.In the aftermath of the First World War, the defeated countries which formed part of the Central Powers including Germany, Turkey, Hungary and Austria were excluded from the 1920 Games, while Germany’s exclusion was extended to the 1924 edition in Paris too.And both Germany and Japan were excluded from the 1948 Olympics in London owing to their participation in the Second World War, as was Bulgaria.For six consecutive Summer Olympics between 1964 and 1988, South Africa was banned from competing due to the country’s racial segregation policies under apartheid.Afghanistan was banned from Sydney 2000 because of its discrimination against women and prohibition of sports, while Zimbabwe’s forerunner state of Rhodesia was expelled from the 1972 and 1976 events due to legitimacy concerns and the IOC’s poor view of the country’s sporting facilities and groups.In addition to this, Kuwait was unable to compete at Rio 2016 due to governmental interference, though athletes from that nation were permitted under the banner of Independent Olympic Athletes (IOA).And India was initially suspended from the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, because of governmental interference in the country’s National Olympic Committee.However, India’s suspension was revoked midway through and the country reinstated, meaning athletes were eventually allowed to compete under the Indian flag.The banned nation could return to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.A country that has been banned from attending the 2024 Paris Olympic Games may be allowed to return in 2028 if two specific things happen first.It’s been just six months since the thrilling 2024 Olympic Games came to an end with the closing ceremony in Paris, and sports fans are already discussing details of the next Olympics.Los Angeles will host the next Olympic Games when they get underway in July 2028, with as many as 206 different nations send the best athletes they have to offer to compete for coveted gold, silver and bronze medals.However, perhaps the biggest story of the 2028 games could be the return of one controversial country who were banned from coming to Paris to compete last year.Ahead of the Paris Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed that they had sanctioned both Russia and Belarus in response to the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the ongoing armed conflict that has followed.But, the upcoming elections for the president of the IOC could give Russia a path to the 2028 games, as British Olympic legend Sebastian Coe, who is one of seven candidates hoping to be elected, has explained would need to happen for him to allow Russia to compete in Los Angeles.Controversial banned country could be allowed to return for 2028 Olympics if two things happenThe banned nation could return to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.A country that has been banned from attending the 2024 Paris Olympic Games may be allowed to return in 2028 if two specific things happen first.It’s been just six months since the thrilling 2024 Olympic Games came to an end with the closing ceremony in Paris, and sports fans are already discussing details of the next Olympics.Los Angeles will host the next Olympic Games when they get underway in July 2028, with as many as 206 different nations send the best athletes they have to offer to compete for coveted gold, silver and bronze medals.However, perhaps the biggest story of the 2028 games could be the return of one controversial country who were banned from coming to Paris to compete  Ahead of the Paris Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed that they had sanctioned both Russia and Belarus in response to the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the ongoing armed conflict that has followed.But, the upcoming elections for the president of the IOC could give Russia a path to the 2028 games, as British Olympic legend Sebastian Coe, who is one of seven candidates hoping to be elected, has explained would need to happen for him to allow Russia to compete in Los Angeles.During an interview with Piers Morgan on the Uncensored YouTube channel, Coe explained that he would support the reintroduction of Russia in future Olympic Games if US President Donald Trump is successful in ongoing peace talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin to end war in Ukraine.“If you get to a situation where you have a peace agreement then you would have to look very closely [at lifting the Olympic ban].”The vote to determine which of the candidates will become the next IOC president will take place on March 20 On as the organisation’s 110 members will gather in Greece to cast their votes for one of the seven candidates.Coe, 68, is one of the favourites to win the election and, should he be successful, he will officially start his new role in June.