FIS allows Russian and Belarusian skiers to compete as neutral athletes

The decision was finalized during a two-day meeting of the FIS Council held in the Swiss city of Thun.

Russian and Belarusian athletes will be permitted to participate in select FIS competitions strictly as neutral competitors – completely stripped of their national flags, anthems, or state symbols.

To be eligible, athletes and support personnel must sign a strict declaration of neutrality, which includes a requirement to have absolutely no ties to their nations' armed forces or national security agencies. The governing body emphasized that compliance with these rules will be constantly monitored, with severe sanctions prepared for any breaches.

“The FIS Council reviewed the situation and decided that athletes and support personnel from the two countries may be granted access to FIS competitions provided that they sign a declaration of neutrality based on a set of principles established by FIS,” the statement read. “Compliance with these neutrality principles will be constantly monitored, with sanctions available in case of breaches.”

The adjustment follows a pivotal July 2026 decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to provisionally lift its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, prompting individual sports federations to systematically re-evaluate their own restrictions.

This builds upon a December 2025 ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that overturned a nearly four-year ban on Russian and Belarusian winter sports athletes, allowing them to enter qualifiers and ultimately compete as Individual Neutral Athletes at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has also lifted its restrictions on Russian and Belarusian representatives, allowing individual players, coaches, referees, commissioners, and other officials to return to international competitions with immediate effect.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has fully lifted its restrictions on Russian and Belarusian competitors, allowing drivers, national teams, and officials to return to international motorsport events under their national flags and anthems.