Athletes permitted to compete individually and under a neutral banner

December 3, 2025 Aksel Kryhlmand

International sport has taken another step in defining the role of Russian and Belarusian competitors in the lead up to the 2026 Winter Olympics. On Tuesday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, based in Lausanne, ruled that athletes from both countries may reenter events run by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation if they meet the neutrality requirements set by the International Olympic Committee. The information was originally reported by AFP.

Russian and Belarusian athletes had been absent from the world circuit since 2022, when many sports federations suspended them following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. For winter athletes, the ban effectively blocked access to qualification events that determine who may compete at future Olympic Games.

A ruling rooted in sports governance and geopolitical pressure

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation, known as FIS, had voted in October to continue excluding Russian and Belarusian athletes from qualification contests for the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics and Paralympics, which are scheduled for 6 to 22 February 2026. That decision triggered appeals from the Russian Ski Federation, the Belarusian Ski Union and 17 individual athletes.

In its announcement, the Court of Arbitration for Sport stated that its panels concluded athletes who satisfy the International Olympic Committee’s eligibility rules for neutral status must be permitted to enter FIS qualification competitions. According to the court, those criteria remain fully under the authority of FIS, and a request from the Belarusian federation to influence how the rules are set was dismissed.

For readers unfamiliar with the institution, the Court of Arbitration for Sport is an independent body that settles sports related disputes worldwide. Its rulings are legally binding for most international federations and often shape the policies that govern global competitions.

Broader context behind neutral athlete status

The idea of neutral participation has been used occasionally in Olympic history, but it has gained new prominence since 2022. Under this framework, athletes may compete only as individuals, without national symbols, anthems or government involvement. The approach attempts to balance the rights of athletes with political realities that make state representation contentious.

The International Olympic Committee confirmed in September that Russian and Belarusian athletes could appear at the 2026 Winter Games only as neutral participants. Last week, the organisation named the first three athletes cleared to compete under this framework, two Russian figure skaters, one male and one female, and one female skater from Belarus.

For many athletes, especially in winter sports where qualification windows are tight and event calendars limited, access to FIS competitions is essential. Without the ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport, many would have had no remaining path toward Olympic selection.

How the decision reshapes the road to the 2026 Games

The new ruling does not overturn broader sporting restrictions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine. What it does change is the competitive landscape. Athletes from Russia and Belarus now regain a practical, although limited, route back into the qualification process.

The number of neutral athletes who eventually reach the Milan Cortina Games will depend on continued vetting by the International Olympic Committee and compliance with strict neutrality standards. These include distancing themselves from state backed military activity and avoiding public displays of national representation.

For winter sport as a whole, the decision reflects a wider struggle. International federations are attempting to uphold competitive fairness, athlete safety and political neutrality while navigating a conflict that continues to divide governments, athletes and fans.

At this stage, the ruling offers only a conditional return, but it reopens competition for individuals who have been sidelined for nearly four years and signals how international sport is attempting to balance geopolitical pressure with its mandate to remain inclusive.