The International Olympic Committee provisionally lifted its suspension of Russian athletes in early July 2026, overturning restrictions that had been in place since 2023. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna's specific quoted condemnation cannot be independently verified, though Baltic opposition to the decision is well-documented. The IOC's move is genuinely contentious — it ends nearly four years of restrictions imposed due to both state-sponsored doping and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which remains ongoing. What's not addressed here: the IOC framed the decision as 'provisional' pending investigation of allegations about Russian athletes' involvement in the conflict, meaning the restrictions could be reinstated if evidence emerges.