CAS overturns FIS ban, Opening Olympic path for Russian, Belarusian skiers

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Russian skiers and snowboarders have regained the right to seek neutral-athlete status for Olympic qualifying events after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) struck down a broad ban imposed by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). The decision came after Russia appealed the restrictions originally put in place shortly after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and later renewed in October.

 

Russia’s sports minister, Mikhail Degtyaryov, announced the outcome on social media, describing it as a significant legal victory. CAS later released its full ruling, confirming that both Russian and Belarusian athletes are eligible to apply for participation in international competitions if they meet FIS criteria.

 

Parallel Cases Support Athlete Participation

 

The decision mirrors an earlier CAS judgment from October, when a challenge by Russian luge athletes also succeeded in overturning a passport-based exclusion. For many sports organizations, the removal of Russian competitors had been justified on safety grounds, including concerns about protests and disruptions during events.

 

Tight Deadlines Before Milan Cortina 2026 Qualification

 

Despite the ruling, the timing poses major challenges. FIS now has limited opportunity to evaluate neutral-athlete applications before the January 18 cutoff for Olympic qualification. The Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics open on February 6, leaving a narrow window for athletes to secure eligibility. 

 

Neutral Status Requirements

 

According to International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidelines, competitors from Russia and Belarus can be cleared to participate only if they have not expressed support for the war in Ukraine and have no affiliations with the military or national security bodies. Even with approval, logistical issues remain, athletes still face difficulties obtaining visas to travel to qualifying events, particularly for World Cup competitions in Alpine, cross-country and freestyle skiing, and snowboarding.

 

FIS’s Role and Legal Basis for the Decision

 

FIS oversees 57 of the 116 medal events at the Winter Games, making its policies central to athlete participation. CAS stated that its panels found key provisions in the FIS statutes that safeguard individuals from discrimination and mandate political neutrality within the federation, forming the legal basis for the reversal.

 

IOC Final Approval Still Required

 

Some Russian and Belarusian athletes already participated as neutrals at the Paris 2024 Summer Games, though neither nation was permitted to enter team sports. For the upcoming Winter Olympics, the IOC will again carry out its own assessment of eligible neutral athletes before extending official invitations. The committee recently invited two Russian figure skaters and one Belarusian athlete to the Games under neutral status.

 

Small Expected Russian Delegation

 

Degtyaryov has suggested that, despite the rulings, the number of Russian athletes ultimately competing in Milan Cortina could be as low as 15.