Biathletes with a military degree, but figure skaters under a neutral flag: who from Russia and Belarus will really be allowed to go on the medal hunt? The federations are wrestling with some difficult decisions.
20.12.2025, 04:01
20.12.2025, 07:15
SDA
Almost two months before the opening of the Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, it is still unclear which athletes from Russia and Belarus will be allowed to return to the big Olympic stage due to the ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. While some world federations have made adjustments following rulings by the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and allowed athletes to compete under a neutral flag, the biathlon world federation, for example, has so far stuck to its exclusion - partly due to a special circumstance.
Biathlon: Unlike in other disciplines, athletes in this sport are competing with a weapon. "That may be a bit of a polemic," said Communications Director Christian Winkler from the International Biathlon Union (IBU) in the run-up to the World Cup races in Annecy-Le Grand-Bornand, France. "But I would say this: The image is already difficult to imagine of Ukrainian and Russian athletes standing next to each other with a rifle."
In addition, potential Russian starters usually have close ties to the army. Some of them even have military ranks. This is another reason why the IBU is sticking to its position despite the increasing pressure and the request for accelerated proceedings from the Russian federation, confirms Winkler: "They have every right to appeal to the CAS. But we are quite relaxed because we are prepared and we also believe that we have good arguments. Our decision was made based on our constitution."
Nordic and alpine skiing: Following a ruling by the CAS, the first skiers from Russia and Belarus were recently admitted to qualification competitions. The Ski and Snowboard Federation FIS published a list of names that are now allowed to take part in events as neutral athletes in order to qualify for the Games.
Cross-country skiers and combined athletes are also on this list, which was updated once again on Monday. There is a special feature in Nordic combined, which is exclusively for men. Women are not eligible for the Olympics in this sport.
Speed skating: In December 2024, the International Speed Skating Union (ISU) had set the eligibility criteria for the first four World Cups that were judged as Olympic qualifiers. A total of three athletes from Belarus and five from Russia competed. In addition to qualifying times, quota places via the discipline ranking in the World Cup are required for participation in the Olympics.
Figure skating: The two Russians Pyotr Gumennik and Adeliya Petrosyan and Belarusian Viktoria Safonova (Belarus) gained quota places via a qualifying competition in Beijing in September and have also already been confirmed by the IOC as participants under a neutral flag. Pair skaters and ice dancers were not admitted to the qualification event in China.
Bobsleigh, Luge and Skeleton: Following a review process led by the IBSF AIN Task Force and with the support of Sportradar, the World Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) published a list of individual neutral athletes (AIN) on December 12 who are eligible to compete in IBSF competitions with immediate effect. However, only in women's monobob and skeleton. The list includes one male and one female bobsleigh athlete, seven skeleton athletes, five coaches and technicians plus one doctor and three officials.
Since the test competition at the Cortina d'Ampezzo Eugenio Monti Sliding Center, there have been three women and three men in the single-seater competition. However, some of them have now been withdrawn from the race at the World Cup in Lake Placid, as there are apparently new indications. Qualification is based on a points system.
Ice hockey: The national teams of Russia and Belarus have been completely excluded from Olympic competitions by the IOC. The IIHF follows this recommendation. As a result, some top cracks will be missing from the tournament, which will once again feature NHL stars.
Curling: The ban also applies to teams from both countries.
