February 26, 2026

Toiletries Instead of Tech


Toiletries Instead of Tech
Russian officials were quick to criticize the meager gifts given to Russian athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics.  Russian Life Files

Olympic gift bag videos are a sensation, as athletes unbox their impressive hauls of brand-gifted items. While many teams received shoes, clothing, and accessories, the gift bags for Russian athletes competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy looked meager in comparison.

One of the most desirable items was the exclusive Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition smartphone given to nearly all athletes and Paralympians. Only about 3,800 special-edition phones were made by Samsung, a major sponsor of the games. 

However, the games' governing body, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), stated that distributing the devices to athletes from certain countries, including Russia, was prohibited, as those athletes technically compete as neutral individuals, despite the fact that Samsung continues to operate in Russia. 

What did the Russian athletes receive instead? According to Nikita Filippov, a ski mountaineer and silver medalist in the sprint race, a toiletries bag with shampoo and toothpaste. Still, he stated that the games are not about receiving gadgets and gifts, but about competition.

Although Filippov was casual about not receiving the smartphone, Russian officials criticized the decision. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maria Zakharova demanded clarification about which countries were ineligible for gifts.

Meanwhile, State Duma deputy and former Olympic speed skater Svetlana Zhurova condemned the decision, calling it a poor attitude towards Russian athletes. State Duma Chairman Dmitry Svishchev promised to “correct this injustice” by providing the athletes with smartphones and tablets as compensation, courtesy of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia.

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