Russian and Belarusian athletes could be allowed to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina following a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, which overturned restrictions previously imposed by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). The federation had barred athletes from qualifying events to prevent their participation in the Games, even as neutral competitors.
The decision comes after appeals filed by national federations and athletes, arguing that FIS had violated its own rules and principles of political neutrality and non-discrimination. The Russian Ski Federation, several Russian athletes, and the Russian Paralympic Committee, along with the Belarusian Ski Federation and a group of Belarusian athletes, brought the cases to the Swiss tribunal. CAS partially upheld the appeals, ruling that FIS could not impose a blanket ban on qualifying competitions.
Judges clarified that athletes may compete if they meet International Olympic Committee (IOC) criteria for “neutral athlete” status, meaning they must have no military contracts and have not publicly supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. However, with the Games approaching and limited qualification opportunities, timing remains a challenge.
For Paralympic sports, the situation is different. At the end of September, the International Paralympic Committee fully reinstated Russian and Belarusian athletes, allowing them to compete under their national flags and anthems like all other competitors.