MOSCOW: The Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has granted Russia’s appeal to strike down a previous ruling by the Ski and ...
MOSCOW: The Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has granted Russia’s appeal to strike down a previous ruling by the Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) barring Russian national athletes from federation-sponsored international tournaments, Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev said on Tuesday.
"The arbitrators found the claims of the Russian side to be justified and legitimate. In line with the International Olympic Committee’s [IOC] decision, they instructed FIS to admit Russian athletes to competitions in Olympic disciplines under neutral status, and to allow athletes in Paralympic disciplines to compete on the same terms as athletes from other countries — namely, under the national flag and with all appropriate national insignia," Degtyarev, who is also the president of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), said in a statement on his Telegram channel.
"It’s important to note that this is the third court decision in favor of Russia in Winter Olympic sports disciplines," he continued.
"Earlier, the Appeals Tribunal of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation declared illegal the decision of the organization's congress to ban Russian athletes from competing, and CAS partially upheld the appeal of the Russian Luge Federation and decided to allow Russian luge athletes to participate neutrally in international competitions," Degtyarev noted.
He stressed that the CAS decision in the case of the non-admission of Russians to FIS tournaments opens up opportunities for national athletes to participate in all international competitions, including qualifying events for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2026.
The FIS Council ruled on October 21 to bar athletes representing Russia and Belarus from international tournaments, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Last month, Russia filed an appeal with the CAS to throw out the decision made by the FIS to bar its national athletes from federation-sponsored international tournaments citing a previous ruling of the Swiss-based court’s ruling in regard to Russian lugers and bobsledders.
In early November, the CAS upheld Russia’s appeal against the previously imposed ban by the International Luge Federation (FIL) and ruled to clear Russian lugers and bobsledders for participation in international tournaments.
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games will be held in Italy, in the cities of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. The event will take place on February 6-22, 2026. Russian athletes are allowed to participate in the Olympics under a neutral status and only in individual competitions. The 2026 Winter Paralympic Games will be held in Italy on March 6-15.
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