Victory of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) partially upheld the claims of Russian and Belarusian athletes who filed a complaint against the International Federation of Skiing and Snowboarding (FIS). Previously, according to the FIS decision, they were not allowed to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy.
According to the decision adopted in Lausanne on December 2, athletes who meet the criteria of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will be able to participate in the FIS qualifying competitions before the Winter Olympics, as well as in other international competitions with a neutral status. Paralympians were also allowed to participate in FIS competitions on equal terms with athletes from other countries.
The CAS based its decision on the fact that the FIS charter protects athletes from discrimination and requires political neutrality from the organization.
Russia's official reaction
"Russia won the suit against FIS in CAS. Now the FIS must allow Russian athletes to participate in international competitions," wrote the Minister of Sports of Russia and the head of the Russian Olympic Committee, Mikhail Degtyarev, commenting on the decision.
As a reminder, the FIS Board denied them the opportunity to participate in the qualifying matches for Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo on October 21st. Subsequently, 17 athletes filed complaints against this decision, stating that it violates the rules of political neutrality and non-discrimination in the FIS charter.
IOC position and upcoming matches
Although the IOC deprived Russia and Belarus of the right to participate in the Olympic Games due to large-scale hostilities against Ukraine, Russian athletes competed individually at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. The IOC provides them with the same opportunity (winter games). International sports federations are responsible for admitting and conducting qualifying competitions for the Olympics for athletes with a neutral status. The Winter Olympic Games will be held in Italy from February 6-22, 2026.
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