Moscow was the host of the 1980 Summer Games, when Russia (Russian SFSR) was part of the Soviet Union.

[3][4][5] Some sources combine the Soviet Union and Russia, despite the fact that many republics which subsequently gained or re-gained independence (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan) contributed to the medal tally of the USSR, and there are sources that combine all medals of RU1, URS, EUN, OAR, ROC and RUS.

[6][7] On 31 January 1992, the United Nations recognized, without objection, Russia as legal successor of the rights and obligations of the former Soviet Union,[8] but this has no significance in medal tallies.

Due to doping violations, Russia has been stripped of 46 Olympic medals – the most of any country, four times the number of the runner-up, and 30% of the global total.

[44] Russia was partially banned from participation at the 2016 Summer Olympics due to the state-sponsored doping scandal.

[2][51] The IOC also published a statement stating that it supported the return of Russian athletes, as long as they did not "actively" advocate for the war and as long as their flag, anthem, colors, and organizations were excluded (thus preventing them from competing under the Russian Olympic Committee as in 2020 and 2022).