The International Skating Union -ISU- has decided to readmit, from the 2026/2027 season, skaters affiliated with its members in Russia and Belarus, who will be able to take part in ISU events and international competitions as neutral athletes -AIN-. The measure, set out in Communication 2804, is a partial revision of the restrictions adopted in 2022 after the start of the war in Ukraine and maintains the ban on competing under a national flag, anthem, national uniform or any other item of state recognition.
The decision adapts the position established in Communication 2469, approved on 24 April 2022, under which the ISU stopped inviting or allowing the participation of skaters and officials affiliated with its members in Russia and Belarus, and suspended the staging of international competitions in both countries. The organisation stresses that those measures were adopted as protective measures, not as a disciplinary sanction or an ineligibility decision, and that they were based on the safety of participants and the integrity of competitions.
A controlled readmission without national symbols
The new communication partially lifts those measures for skaters and support personnel, but it does not amount to a full return. Athletes will be able to compete as neutrals in ISU events and international competitions, always subject to the conditions set by the organisation. Support personnel affiliated with ISU members in Russia and Belarus may also accompany and assist skaters, although they will have to undergo the same eligibility assessment.
The ISU will apply an individual evidence-based assessment, rather than one determined by nationality. In principle, skaters and members of support personnel will be considered eligible unless they are in active service with the armed forces or a national security agency of Russia or Belarus, have taken part since February 2022 in military operations in the war against Ukraine, or have actively and publicly supported that war. The decision will rest with the ISU Council, which may delegate the assessment to an independent panel. The person concerned will have the right to be heard and may appeal a negative decision under the applicable regulations.
The ISU’s explanation: safety, integrity and neutrality
The ISU justifies the change through the evolution of the sporting context and the need to adjust its measures within a controlled and monitored framework. The organisation says it has taken into account the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee -IOC- published in December 2025 and May 2026, as well as the principle that eligibility should not be determined solely by nationality. In its questions and answers, the ISU adds that skaters should not be held responsible for the actions of their governments.
The Council also reviewed the participation of neutral athletes in the Olympic qualification events of the 2025/2026 season and at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, where, according to the ISU, no related incidents were recorded. That precedent has contributed to the adoption of a less restrictive approach, although the organisation insists that safety will remain the main criterion for any further easing. If no safety or integrity issues arise, the ISU may relax the restrictions further; if they do, it reserves the right to reintroduce or increase them.
Which limits remain in place
The readmission does not currently extend to officials. Judges, referees and other officials affiliated with ISU members in Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to officiate at international competitions, and there is no timeline for their return. The organisation will assess the functioning of the measures adopted during the 2026/2027 season before considering whether a future readmission of officials may be appropriate.
There is also no date set for Russia or Belarus to host international events or ISU competitions again. The communication maintains the logic of a gradual return, limited to the ice and initially focused on athletes. The ISU also recalls that skaters from both countries will remain subject to the same anti-doping obligations as all other athletes, within a system the organisation describes as robust and aimed at ensuring a clean and fair sporting environment.
Ukraine and the international Olympic map
The ISU says this decision does not change its position on the war in Ukraine. The organisation maintains its condemnation of armed conflict and says it will continue to provide financial support to Ukrainian skaters through various initiatives, including the ISU Development Program, contributions to the Ukrainian Skating Federation and support programmes for displaced skaters. The organisation is also continuing to analyse the funding update for these programmes.
The measure sits within a broader context across the Olympic Movement, where international federations have adopted different approaches to the return of athletes from Russia and Belarus. The ISU acknowledges that it has taken into account both the IOC recommendations and the evolution of other federations, including experiences in which the lifting of restrictions led to incidents at competitions and others in which neutral participation took place without related problems.
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