Russian and Belarusian athletes allowed to participate in 2026 Olympic qualifiers

Since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, athletes from Russia and Belarus have been barred from competing in all speed skating disciplines. However, this has now changed.

Details: Today, the International Skating Union (ISU) officially permitted athletes from these two countries to participate in qualifying events for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

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Athletes will only be allowed to compete under a neutral status, and eligibility is restricted to those who have no affiliation with military organizations and do not publicly support the political regimes in their respective countries.

A similar system was implemented in some sports before the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Reminder: The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held in Milan from February 6 to 22.