The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) sided with Russian and Belarusian skiers: it partially upheld their appeals against the decision of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS).
On October 21, the FIS refused to allow Russian and Belarusian skiers — even under neutral status — to compete in international competitions, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2026.
The International Ski Federation stated at that time that while the IOC allows athletes to obtain the status of Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN), the final decision rests with the federations of individual sports. Under their flag, Russian and Belarusian athletes have been unable to participate in international competitions under the auspices of the FIS since 2022.
In a statement, the CAS emphasized that "the FIS Council's resolution of October 21, 2025, is annulled," and athletes from Russia and Belarus who meet the criteria of the IOC and the FIS should be allowed to participate in international competitions — under neutral status.
Russian Paralympians should be allowed to compete "on the same terms as other Paralympians": Russian sports officials believe that this way they will be able to compete "under the national flag and with all the necessary national attributes."
At the same time, the leadership of the Russian national team describes the CAS decision as only "the first step towards return," which should be followed by "extensive administrative work" to ensure the actual admission of athletes to international competitions.
The XXV Winter Olympic Games will take place in Italy — Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo — from February 6 to 22, 2026.
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