Three figure skaters hailing from Russia and Belarus, including a potential Olympic gold medalist, have been granted neutral status by the International Olympic Committee to participate in the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Games in February. Among them is 18-year-old Adeliia Petrosian, who demonstrated her medal-winning capabilities in the women’s singles category by triumphing in an Olympic qualifying event held in Beijing in September.
Petr Gumennik, the reigning Russian singles champion, claimed victory in the men’s competition in Beijing two months ago, while Viktoriia Safonova of Belarus secured fourth place behind Petrosian. The athletes received approval for neutral participation, as confirmed by the IOC.
The Beijing qualifying contest marked the first instance in which Russians were allowed by the International Skating Union to compete in one of its figure skating events following the commencement of the full-scale military incursion into Ukraine in 2022, only four days after the conclusion of the Beijing Olympics.
The IOC is conducting its own evaluation process to authorize Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals at Milan Cortina, a procedure similar to the one implemented prior to the 2024 Paris Summer Games. To qualify, individual athletes must demonstrate no active support for the invasion of Ukraine and must not be associated with Russian or Belarusian military and state security entities.
Furthermore, the figure skaters are required to accept their individual invitations and pledge to uphold the principles outlined in the Olympic Charter, as stipulated by the IOC. Notably, Petrosian is the latest standout skater honed under the guidance of coach Eteri Tutberidze, a figure of controversy during the Beijing Olympics.