It's about figure skating, speed skating, and short track, and the ISU emphasizes that it's about a limited number of athletes, and under strict conditions. Among other things, they must compete under a neutral flag.
The decision is based on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its recommendation to now allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals.
One participant per competition
When Russia carried out its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with the support of Belarus, the sports world, almost unanimously, decided to completely or partially ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from all international competitions.
"The ISU has carefully examined the possibility of implementing the IOC's recommendations to find a possible way to facilitate the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in the Winter Olympic Games in Milan Cortina 2026", writes the ISU on its website.
The ISU lists a number of competitions in 2025 that also serve as Olympic qualifiers – one in figure skating, four each in speed skating and short track – and where Russians and Belarusians are welcome. However, only one Russian and one Belarusian participant are allowed per event in these competitions.
Welcome by Russia
Russia's Sports Minister Mikhail Degtjarev welcomes the decision:
"The process of fully returning to international sports is difficult, but decisions like the ISU's are important steps on the way", says Degtjarev according to the Russian state-controlled news agency Ria Novosti.
During the Summer Olympic Games in Paris this year, only a few Russian and Belarusian athletes participated, all under a neutral flag. They all also had to be able to prove that they do not actively support Russia's war in Ukraine.
Some sports have, however, continued to keep the door completely shut.
