Russian Skiers Challenge Ban for 2026 Winter Olympics

Russian skiers are contesting their ongoing exclusion from competitions in their bid to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics, according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s announcement on Thursday. An appeal has been lodged by six skiers, six Para athletes, and the Russian ski federation against the International Ski and Snowboard Federation’s recent decision to prolong their comprehensive ban amid the conflict in Ukraine. The Court of Arbitration for Sport has not specified a timeline for the hearing, which is expected to be expedited, occurring just three months before the commencement of the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February. The likelihood of Russia securing another legal victory appeared to rise last week following a separate ruling by a different panel of judges at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which upheld a challenge by Russian lugers. This decision obliges the International Luge Federation to initiate an evaluation process for granting approved neutral status to athletes. The concept of neutral status can be granted in most Olympic sports in accordance with the International Olympic Committee’s guidelines, specifically for athletes who have refrained from endorsing the military intervention in Ukraine publicly and have no affiliations with military or state security entities. In the previous Paris Summer Games, some Russian and Belarusian athletes participated without their national flag, anthem, or team colors.