The ISU has allowed Russian figure skaters to participate in the qualifiers for the 2026 Olympics
The ISU has allowed Russian figure skaters to participate in the qualifiers for the 2026 Olympics.
original source: ISU
“ISU Constitution to allow eligible Skaters and their Support Personnel holding a Russian/Belarusian passport to participate as AIN at the Qualifying Competition in Figure Skating for the OWG 2026 and the Qualifying Competitions for the OWG 2026 according to the Olympic Qualification Documents in Speed Skating and Short Track Speed Skating and, upon qualification, eligibility and potential participation at the OWG 2026 (to be determined by the IOC).
Participation by AIN and their Support Personnel is subject to full compliance with any IOC Recommendations and decisions and all applicable ISU Statutes, including, but not limited to, the Olympic Qualification Documents, Eligibility Criteria, and Qualification Pathways and Quota Places set forth below,” says the ISU communication.
The Russian Figure Skating Federation (FFKKR) must announce the participants for the qualification competition in February 2025. This is stated in a document from the International Skating Union (ISU).
“By February 1, 2025 or other date, at the latest February 28, 2025, the Figure Skating Federation of Russia (“FSFR”), the Russian Skating Union (“RSU”) and the Belarusian Skating Union (“BLR”) respectively, can each nominate to the ISU one female Athlete and one male Athlete (and one substitute for each in case of injury prior to qualification) per individual event in Figure Skating/Speed Skating/Short Track Speed Skating, one pair for Pair Skating and one couple for Ice Dance who can participate as AIN at the Figure Skating Qualification Competition and at the Qualification Competitions according to the Olympic Qualification Documents in Speed Skating and Short Track Speed Skating and, if qualified, at the OWG 2026 (“Nominated Athletes”).”
“From February 1, 2025 or other date, at the latest February 28, 2025 onwards, the Nominated Athletes and their Support Personnel are subject to the Focused Olympic Anti-Doping Program of the ISU to a special screening according to ISU recommendations and the IOC Recommendations. The ISU reserves the right to limit the number of Support Personnel accompanying AIN.”
“The special screening, organized in accordance with the IOC recommendations and reflecting the processes successfully used in other sports ahead of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, will be conducted by an outside provider (such as SportRadar) aims to guarantee that no person who actively supports the war in Ukraine or who is contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies will participate as AIN and/or their Support Personnel. Any form of verbal, non-verbal or written expression, explicit or implicit, at any time since February 24, 2022 (being the date of the beginning of the war in Ukraine), in particular public statements, including those made in social media, participation in pro-war demonstrations or events, and the wearing of any symbol in support of the war in Ukraine, for example the “Z” symbol, are considered to be acts of support for the war in Ukraine.”
According to the ISU document, Russians will need to wear plain, single-color uniforms without any national symbols. A sample of this uniform must be provided to the ISU for approval in advance.
Russian figure skaters will be prohibited from interacting with the media during the 2026 Olympics. This is stated in a document published on the website of the International Skating Union (ISU).
Related topics: ISU
Russian government under Putin did this to its athletes, not the West or IOC.
Putin is to blame for cheating and for war in Ukraine. All vile comments made by Russians should be directed to Putin.
ISU and their double standards. How about sanctions against Israeli athletes? You put so heavy sanctions on Russian/ Belarusian athletes while staying neutral on the genocide of Palestinians. Bravo.
Well, don’t participate because they are RUSSIAN athletes competing from different countries, so what is the beef?
ISU under Beck is allowing ELITE Russian athletes to compete as they compete in other sports, like SWIMMING, TENNIS and so on.
Don’t participate, it’s okay!!!
Strip them of all dignity…pft, better not let them compete after all
Wrong. wrong, wrong!!!
I think it’s wrong to ‘require’ that skaters should have certain political views, approved by some non-elected individuals. And we might not understand the full story of what happened between Russia and US before the Russian invasion. But US can influence the media and opinions in a much greater scale….
Do people know how war works? How it ends? The aftermath, as in what happens to the losers?
It is what it is. Yes, Russia invaded. STFU!
If my country is at war, I would support it in its war effort to make sure we win. I mean, what else can I do? Because if our military and militias lost, I’m fucked just as any of my countrymen next to me. Valors or traitors.