Russian Athletes Banned from Competition: What Was Their Olympic Performance Like?

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in international sporting events starting Tuesday (February 28th). This policy was adopted by the IOC as a sanction against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Historically, Russian athletes have been quite successful in the Olympics. Between 1994 and 2016, Russia won a total of 547 medals: 196 gold, 165 silver, and 186 bronze.

By type of Olympics, Russia won a total of 426 medals in the Summer Olympics and 121 medals in the Winter Olympics.

Russia's highest achievement was in the 2000 Summer Olympics, with 32 gold, 28 silver, and 29 bronze medals.

Russia also competed and hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics, winning 11 gold, 10 silver, and 9 bronze medals.

Previously, Russia had already faced sanctions, including a ban on the use of its national flag in world sporting events since the 2018 Winter Olympics. This sanction was related to findings that Russia systematically engaged in doping practices with its athletes in the 2014 Winter Olympics.

(See also: Russia, the Country with the Most Doping Cases in the Olympics)