LAUSANNE, Switzerland - The International Olympic Committee on Thursday lifted all restrictions on Belarusian athletes, clearing the way for their return to international competitions, including qualifiers for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, it said in a statement.The IOC had recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials be banned from events since 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Belarus was used as a staging ground for the invasion.'The IOC Executive Board no ​longer recommends any restrictions on the participation of Belarusian athletes, including teams, in competitions governed by International Federations and international sports ‌event organizers,' ‌the Olympic body said.