As Russia regains routes into international competition through the opening up of international federations and the IOC, governments in several countries are beginning to bar its athletes from entering. Finland and Norway announced new entry restrictions for athletes on Thursday, something Canada and Poland also confirmed this week. The start of the winter season has accelerated these decisions.
The Finnish resolution will apply from 16 November to the assessment of visa applications, entry and short-term stays. It covers work carried out under a visa that is not considered essential to national interests, including professional sport. The government also envisages the possibility of denying entry or permission to stay to people holding Schengen visas issued by other states when they do not meet the applicable conditions. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs justifies the measure by citing the war against Ukraine and what it describes as the use of Russian sport for propaganda.
Norway has announced that it will instruct its immigration and police authorities to prevent Russian and Belarusian professional athletes travelling to compete, as well as their support staff, from entering the country. The statement says the changes will take effect shortly, without specifying a date. In Finland, the International Skating Union (ISU) has already warned of the potential impact on the upcoming World Figure Skating Championships in Tampere.
Luge maintains the neutral route as hockey seeks a way forward
On the same day as the Nordic announcements, the Extraordinary Congress of the International Luge Federation (FIL) approved the continuation of its admission process for Russian individual neutral athletes for the 2026/27 season. The decision includes youth and junior athletes but excludes team events. The federation links these conditions to rulings by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The contrast shows that there is no uniform response…
In ice hockey, the ruling ordering Russia’s readmission has triggered disputes over places, schedules and participation. The IIHF must deal with several federations’ refusal to play against Russia, alongside the Canadian host’s restrictions for the World Junior Championship. Norway had announced that it would lose its place as a consequence of Russia’s reinstatement… However, the border restrictions do not automatically mean that Norway has regained it, and the tournament’s line-up requires an explicit sporting decision, in addition to immigration decisions.
Dakar shows a different side of Russia’s return
As those difficulties mount, outside Europe, Dakar 2026 has presented a different picture. Thirteen Russian athletes are taking part in the Youth Olympic Games, where their anthem has been heard and their national symbols displayed once again. In fact, they have already won 8 gold medals, 4 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals. The experience offers an opportunity to observe the reception of Russia’s return in a specific setting, but it neither signals a common solution for all competitions nor determines the conditions for participation at Los Angeles 2028.
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