Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) will participate in the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics closing ceremony in Verona, marking a shift from the opening event where they were excluded. Athletes from Russia and Belarus, competing as neutrals due to their countries' ban over the Ukraine invasion, were absent from the opening parade but will join the traditional mixed-group entry at the closing.

These athletes cannot wear national colors or display flags and don't appear on the official medal table. Only one AIN, Nikita Filippov of Russia, has won a medal so far - silver in men's ski mountaineering. No neutral athlete has won gold, which would have triggered the Olympic anthem and flag instead of national representation.

The International Olympic Committee maintains its ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes competing under their national flags at future Games. However, the International Paralympic Committee will allow some athletes to represent their countries at the upcoming Milan-Cortina Paralympics, prompting Ukraine to boycott the opening ceremony. IOC president Kirsty Coventry emphasized the IPC's independence from the IOC during a Milan news conference.