Which Russian and Belarusian skiers can compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics qualifiers?

Nine Russian and Belarusian athletes have been granted neutral status to compete in qualifying events for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games.

What are the conditions for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete?

Athletes must not have publicly supported the war and must have no ties to military or state security agencies to receive neutral status.

Did Olympic medalists from Russia and Belarus receive neutral status?

Yes, former Olympic and world champions from Belarus and Russia, including Hanna Huskova and Anastasia Tatalina, have been approved.

Home / Sports / Russian, Belarusian Skiers Cleared for 2026 Games

Russian, Belarusian Skiers Cleared for 2026 Games

10 Dec

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Summary

Nine Russian and Belarusian athletes granted neutral status.
Two former Olympic medalists are among those approved.
Athletes must not have supported the war or have military ties.

Russian, Belarusian Skiers Cleared for 2026 Games

Nine athletes from Russia and Belarus have been approved to compete in qualifying events for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, marking a significant return to international competition. These athletes, including Olympic and world champions, have been granted neutral status by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation. Their participation is contingent upon not having publicly supported the war in Ukraine and having no ties to military or state security agencies.

Among those approved is Belarusian freestyle skier Hanna Huskova, a gold medalist from the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics and a silver medalist from Beijing 2022. Russian athletes Anastasia Tatalina, a Big Air world champion, and cross-country skiers Savelii Korostelev and Dariya Nepryaeva also received neutral status. This development follows a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport that compelled the FIS to process their applications.