Nine Russian and Belarusian athletes have been cleared to take part in qualifying events for the Winter Olympics as neutral athletes.
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) had originally banned them, but that decision was overturned by a sports court. The athletes have now been given Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) status after meeting the International Olympic Committee (IOC) eligibility rules, meaning they can compete but not under their national flags.
Earlier, the FIS council voted against allowing Russians and Belarusians to compete in qualification events for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, which begin on 6 February. However, the Russian Ski Association (RSF), the Belarusian Ski Union (BSU) and a group of athletes appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which partially upheld their case.
High-profile athletes such as Belarusian freestyle skier Hanna Huskova and Russian snowboarder Anastasia Tatalina are among those cleared, and more athletes could follow.
FIS said it will continue to publish updates to the AIN list as reviews continue.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, athletes from both countries have been banned from many sports. The IOC previously said it would allow neutral athletes to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics under similar conditions to the 2024 Paris Olympics, but left the final decision to individual federations.
