Russian figure skaters will be allowed to participate in world championships and Grand Prix events as neutral athletes in the upcoming season following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The International Skating Union announced the lifting of the ban imposed in February 2022 on athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus, allowing them to compete without their national flags and anthems.
However, there may still be challenges for athletes in obtaining entry visas for ISU events hosted in various countries. Finland is set to host the 2027 world championships for figure skating, while South Korea will host the short track events, and China will host the speed skating worlds.
The ISU decision was influenced by the successful participation of Russian and Belarusian skaters in the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics without any incidents. Notably, skaters like Adeliia Petrosian and Petr Gumennik from Russia, and Viktoriia Safonova from Belarus, competed under neutral status and achieved sixth place finishes in their respective events.
The ISU also took into account guidance from the International Olympic Committee, which recommended on May 7 that sports organizations allow athletes from Belarus to participate without requiring neutral status vetting.
Skaters granted neutral status must not have shown public support for the war since February 2022, as stated by the ISU. The governing body clarified that their decision does not change their condemnation of armed conflicts and their continuous support for Ukrainian skaters.
The exclusion of Russian and Belarusian skaters in 2022 was not a punitive measure but a precautionary step to ensure the safety of participants and maintain the integrity of competitions.
