Heated Rivalries: International Relations and the Olympics

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games are set to kickoff in exactly one week. More than 90 National Olympic Committees will be sending athletes to Milano Cortina, Italy, to participate. The games represent a unique setting for international relations, in a time of increasing geopolitical tension across the globe. 

The Olympics are important in international relations for a variety of reasons. They are extremely popular and draw a large audience. Host nations and successful Olympic countries are given a large platform to express their views on a variety of topics, whether through the opening and closing ceremonies, interviews, or other means. The games are nominally hosted in the spirit of fairness, friendship, and international cooperation. At their core however, they are a competition, and competitions of any kind between people rarely mellow emotions. 

The games are held under a variety of legal structures to keep them fair and friendly. They are governed by the Olympic Charter, set out by the International Olympic Committee, or IOC. The Charter is a codification of the fundamental principles of the Olympic movement, as well as the rules and bye-laws of the events themselves. The Charter also governs how the IOC decides when and where to celebrate the Olympics. It stipulates how various bodies and National Olympic Committees interact with each other and the IOC, including qualification and disqualification. The games and all participants at the games are subject to international law, and athletes and organizers are also expected to adhere to the local laws of the host nation. The IOC itself is also subject to private Swiss law, as it is an International non-governmental

organization based in Lausanne. As a function of this and the principles of the Charter, the IOC and the games are (supposed to be) politically neutral. 

The games are supposed to be apolitical, but that doesn't stop international tensions from being a part of them. One example of this tension that may hit home for our readers is the rivalry between the Canadian Hockey program and its American counterpart. Competitions such as the Olympics and Four Nations have, in the past, been fun, a lighthearted (somewhat lopsided) contest between close allies and friends. Growing tension between our sister nations have turned up the heat of these types of competitions for players and fans alike. This phenomenon was evident in the last Four Nations tournament, which had a much less friendly vibe than years past, both in person and online. Keeping these sporting events friendly is crucial to maintaining relationships with our neighbours and other states, especially when policy makers have a history of emotional and retaliatory decision making. 

Beyond Canadian foreign policy, the Olympics have been subject to criticism of their not so apolitical decision making. Athletes from Russia have been subjected to international embarrassment since 2016, the last Olympics in which they were allowed to compete under their flag and anthem. The original ban on a Russian team was completely valid. There was clear evidence of a state sanctioned doping program, and a scheme to cover that cheating up. This ban allowed Russian born athletes to compete drug free, but did not allow any identification with their country. The Olympic flag and a “neutral anthem” accompany them, and medals won don’t count towards any country, but only to the athletes themselves. These measures also bar Russian athletes from competing in team sporting events, such as their best sport, Hockey. The penalty for Russian cheating was set to end after the conclusion of the 2022 winter games in Beijing. The ban has, however, remained in place to this day, an extra four years. The cause of the extended punishment being Russia’s war in Ukraine. That aggressive war is undoubtedly horrible, and at odds with international law, but that is not grounds to indefinitely continue a punishment related to doping that had a set term. As mentioned earlier, the IOC is supposed to be politically neutral, and penalizing a political action such as a war is therefore hypocritical. Various other nations that compete in the Olympics have been sanctioned for breaching international law, and in some cases pursuing aggressive expansionist wars. 

Hopefully this exciting tradition remains fun and civil for all nations involved. Let's go Team Canada!

sources:

Declaration by the IOC against the politicisation of Sport. Accessed January 30, 2026. https://www.olympics.com/ioc/news/declaration-by-the-ioc-against-the-politicisation-of-sport.

IOC releases letter to the OECD - Olympic News. Accessed January 30, 2026. https://www.olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-releases-letter-to-the-oecd.

Milano Cortina 2026: Key facts and figures about the upcoming Olympic Winter Games. Accessed January 30, 2026. https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/milano-cortina-2026-key-facts-and-figures.

Olympic charter. Accessed January 30, 2026. https://www.olympics.com/ioc/olympic-charter.

Russian athletes are back for the Winter Olympics, again in a stateless existence - the athletic, January 28, 2026. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6991592/2026/01/28/winter-olympics-russians-individual-neutral-athletes/.