International Olympic Committee pressures skiing and biathlon federations to allow Russian athletes to compete
Pravda Ukraine
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is urging the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and the International Biathlon Union (IBU) to allow Russian athletes to participate in international competitions.
Source: SVT
Details: The IOC is exerting significant pressure on FIS and IBU, citing the successful participation of neutral athletes in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The committee is expected to soon decide on allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under neutral status at the 2026 Olympics (6–22 February). However, without permission from FIS and IBU to participate in international events, these athletes will not be able to earn the ranking points required to qualify for the Games.
IBU President Olle Dahlin confirmed the pressure from the IOC.
Quote from Dahlin: “It can be said that the IOC believes this approach would be beneficial for the Milan Olympics. However, the current decision remains that Russia and Belarus are suspended, so we are not discussing this issue.”
Background: The 2025 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships are set to begin in Trondheim, Norway, on 26 February.
Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!