The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) partially upheld the appeals of skiers from Russia and Belarus, declaring invalid the decision of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) that prohibited them from participating in international competitions.
The case concerns the FIS ruling made on October 21, which denied athletes from Russia and Belarus entry to competitions under the federation's auspices, even in a neutral status. This decision affected both the Olympic and Paralympic Games of 2026. The FIS indicated that, despite the position of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which allows athletes to participate as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN), the final decision rests with the international sports federations.
CAS concluded that the complete ban by FIS on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes does not comply with established procedures and, in this regard, partially supported the applicants. However, the court did not lift the ban on competing under national flags at FIS competitions, which has been in effect since 2022.
A separate point in the court's decision emphasizes that Paralympians from Russia should also be granted the right to compete on equal terms with other athletes. The Russian sports community believes that this could lead to the possibility of them competing with national symbols, but the details of the admission mechanism still need to be determined.
The leadership of the Russian national team noted that the CAS decision is just the first step, and extensive administrative work will follow, necessary for the actual return of athletes to the international arena.
The XXV Winter Olympic Games are scheduled to take place in Italy — in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo — from February 6 to 22, 2026.
