Nikita Filippov of Russia won the first medal for Individual And Neutral athletes ("AIN") on Feb. 29, at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

AIN is a French acronym that stands for Individual Neutral Athletes, a label used for athletes with Russian and Belarussian passports, given that both countries are currently banned from the Olympics.

The nation was banned from participating in the 2018 Pyeongchang Games after a state-sponsored doping scandal connected to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi was uncovered. As a result of the ban, athletes competed under the term "Olympic Athletes from Russia" in 2018.

Russia officially is banned from the 2026 Winter Olympics, but 13 athletes have qualified to compete as "neutral'' athletes. Here's how that works.

Nearly 100 countries are represented at the 2026 Olympics. But Russia and its ally Belarus won't be in the Opening Ceremony. Here's why they're banned. (AP Photo)

The topic has become a debate during the 2026 Milan Cortina Games amid the conflicts involving Russia and Israel.

Wednesday is a big day in the Olympic men’s hockey tournament. We now know the four quarterfinal matches. Canada will play the Czech Republic, the United States will play Sweden, Slovakia will play Germany and Switzerland will play Finland.

"It's about giving back and justice," said France's Martin Fourcade, now the gold medalist in the mass start from the 2010 Games.