Russian and Belarusian skaters are poised to return to international competitions as neutral athletes, marking a significant development since the onset of Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. The International Skating Union (ISU) announced on Tuesday that it is lifting the ban imposed in February 2022, allowing athletes from both nations to compete in world championships and Grand Prix events next season.

These athletes will participate without national symbols, including flags or anthems. However, challenges remain, particularly regarding entry visas from host countries. Upcoming events will be hosted in:

• Finland for the 2027 figure skating worlds
• South Korea for short track competitions
• China for the next speed skating worlds

The ISU's decision is backed by the recent participation of Russian and Belarusian skaters at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. Notably, Adeliia Petrosian and Petr Gumennik from Russia, along with Viktoriia Safonova from Belarus, competed with neutral status, with both Petrosian and Gumennik finishing sixth in their events.

The ISU emphasized that skaters must not have supported the war publicly since February 2022 to gain neutral status. Additionally, the organization reaffirmed its condemnation of the armed conflict and its commitment to supporting Ukrainian skaters, clarifying that the initial exclusion was for safety and competition integrity, not punitive.

Earlier this year, Russian and Belarusian athletes participated in the Winter Paralympics, leading to controversy and boycotts from several countries, including the UK, which condemned the decision to allow them to compete under their flags at the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.