Skaters from Russia and Belarus cleared to return amid Ukraine war
Skaters from Russia and Belarus, who were banned “solely for the safety of participants and the integrity of the competitions”, will be able to return to world championships and Grand Prix events next season.
International Skating Union Tuesday said It was stated that the ban triggered by Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has ended. However, skaters and officials from Russia and Belarus will be able to compete only as neutral athletes, that is, without national flag and anthem symbols.
Figure skaters, speed skaters and short track speed skaters will be allowed to participate as long as they do not support the war in Ukraine. A neutral skater is ineligible if he or she is in active service in the armed forces or national security agency of Russia or Belarus; They took an active part in military operations in the war against Ukraine; and/or you have actively and publicly supported this war.
While announcing the decision, the ISU council described the ban as a “protective measure” and said “it was clearly stated that these measures are not a sanction, disciplinary measure or deprivation of rights.”
The war in Ukraine is entering its fifth year since the full-scale Russian invasion began in February 2022. Global Conflict TrackerRussia occupies approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory, and conflict continues with ongoing Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities. Meanwhile, Ukraine has launched retaliatory drone strikes deep into Russian territory, targeting energy and military infrastructure.
Approximately 56,000 civilians were killed or injured, and 3.7 million people lost their lives internally displaced. By 2025, Ukraine will have approximately $188 billion aid from the United States and $197 billion From the European Union.
“ISU continues to condemn all armed conflicts in the world,” the ISU said. he said in a statement. “ISU continues to provide financial support to Ukrainian skaters through various initiatives, including the ISU Development Programme, contributions to the Ukrainian Skating Federation and a support program for displaced skaters.”
The ISU council’s decision to lift the ban on Russian skaters took into account “developments in the Olympic Movement and different approaches of other International Federations”.
While it is acknowledged that the lifting of restrictions has occasionally led to protests at competitions, the participation of neutral Russian and Belarusian athletes in the 2025-2026 Olympic qualifying events and the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games was completed “without any concerning incidents”.
Russian figure skaters Adelia Petrosyan and Petr Gumennik They were allowed to race in Milan with neutral status and both finished their competitions in sixth place. Belarusian Viktoriia Safonova also competed as a neutral athlete.
“Skaters should not be held accountable for their government’s actions.” ISU published. “Safety remains the guiding consideration for further relaxation. ISU will continue to monitor conditions at ISU events and will only further relax restrictions when satisfied that no safety or integrity issues arise, and reserves the right to reintroduce or increase restrictive measures should such issues arise.”
Neutral athletes may have difficulty obtaining entry visas from countries hosting ISU events. The 2027 figure skating, short track and speed skating world championships will be hosted by Finland, South Korea and China, respectively.
The International Olympic Committee was instrumental in the ISU’s decision and advised sports institutions to readmit athletes from Belarus on May 7 without review for neutral status.
