Nine athletes from Russia and Belarus have been granted permission to compete in qualifying events for the 2026 Winter Olympics as neutral competitors. Initially banned by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), their ban was overturned by a sports court last week.
These athletes now hold Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN) status after meeting the eligibility criteria set by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). They will compete without representing their home countries, meaning no flags, emblems, or anthems will be associated with their participation.
In October, the FIS council voted to bar Russian and Belarusian athletes from qualification events for the Games in Milan and Cortina, which begin on 6 February 2026. Following the decision, the Russian Ski Association (RSF), Belarusian Ski Union (BSU), and 17 athletes appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). CAS partially upheld the appeals, allowing the athletes to compete.
Belarusian freestyle skiing aerialist Hanna Huskova, who won gold at PyeongChang 2018 and silver at Beijing 2022, is among the athletes cleared. Russian skier Anastasia Tatalina, the 2021 World Champion in women’s ski big air, is also included. Additional athletes may receive approval as eligibility reviews continue.
FIS stated, “Over the course of the upcoming days and weeks, as more eligibility reviews are conducted and more decisions are made, FIS will publish updated versions of the AIN list.”
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, athletes from Russia and Belarus have faced bans across many international sports. In September, the IOC confirmed neutral athletes could participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics under the same conditions used during the 2024 Paris Games. In Paris, 15 neutral Russians and 17 neutral Belarusians competed without any national symbols.
