At the start of December, the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF). Granted authorization for five Russian ski mountaineering athletes to compete internationally. Including in the qualification rounds for the Winter Olympic 2026. Set to take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in February.
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The organization announced that it had issued licenses for international competition. Under neutral status to Russian athletes Andrey Fyodorov (35), Nikita Filippov (22), and Daria Zinchenko (20). Earlier in the year, similar authorization was granted to Pavel Yakimov (32) and Varvara Prokhorova (33). The Olympic Games will feature two disciplines: sprint and mixed relay. However, we still need to qualify.
According to ISMF Vice-President Pavel Shabalin, licenses were issued to five athletes. Three men and two women for the 2024/2025 season, allowing them to compete in the World Cup and the World Championship. Both of which serve as qualifying events for the 2026 Olympics. Shabalin noted that each athlete personally made his or her declaration.
The president of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), Mikhail Degtyarev, remains optimistic about the upcoming season. Expressing confidence that 2025 will be a successful and positive year for Russian sports. As Minister of Sports and President of the Committee. I will do everything in my power to achieve our goals, Degtyarev stated.
Winter Olympic: Neutral Status for Russian Athletes
Ski mountaineering combines mountain climbing on skis, downhill skiing, and mountaineering techniques to navigate challenging terrain. While it will debut as an Olympic discipline at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. The sport previously made its debut at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne in 2020.
The significance of the five licenses granted by the ISMF can be better understood by looking back to February 28, 2022. On that date, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that international sports federations ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in global tournaments, citing Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine as the reason.
In response to the IOC’s recommendations, most international sports federations. Chose to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from competing in global tournaments, including the Winter Olympics. This decision led to Russian and Belarusian athletes being unable to compete under their flags at major international events.
In late March 2023, the IOC proposed allowing individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete in international events under specific conditions. Refrain from actively supporting Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, and participate under neutral status. This decision marked a shift in policy, aimed at balancing inclusivity in sports with geopolitical considerations.
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Milano Cortina 2026: Suspension of Russian Olympic Committee
In October 2023, the IOC Executive Board suspended the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) indefinitely for violating the Olympic Charter. The suspension was a response to the ROC’s decision to include sports organizations from the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, which undermined the territorial integrity of Ukraine’s National Olympic Committee.
To fully grasp the significance of the five licenses granted by the ISMF. It’s important to look back to February 28, 2022. At that time, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that international sports federations bar Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in global tournaments due to Moscow’s military actions in Ukraine.
In line with the IOC’s recommendations, most international sports federations chose to ban athletes from Russia and Belarus from competing in global tournaments, including the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. This decision affected the ability of athletes from both countries to participate in major international events.
As a result, Russian athletes were not allowed to compete under their flag at this year’s Paris Olympics. Along with athletes from Belarus, they could only participate as neutral individuals, with invitations extended by the IOC. Athletes from both countries who actively supported the invasion of Ukraine were also prohibited from competing.
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Winter Olympic Games: Path for Russian Athletes
These measures were put in place under the headship of the current IOC president, Thomas Bach, who will step down after the association elects a new leader in March elections in Greece. The IOC’s stance on this issue could shift depending on the outcome of the election. Executive candidate Juan Antonio stated at a conference in Budapest that the IOC must make significant efforts to reintegrate Russia.
Another strong candidate for the IOC presidency is Sebastian Coe, who holds a different view from Samaranch. As president of World Athletics, Coe took a firm stance in 2022 by deciding to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes from events organized by his federation. Russia will have to wait a few more months to find out whether the new IOC president will be an ally or an opponent.
The decision by the ISMF to allow five Russian ski mountaineering athletes to compete under neutral status is an important, though cautious, step toward restoring Russian athletes to global sports, despite the ongoing geopolitical tensions. This move is mainly important as it paves the way for their sharing in the Winter Olympic Games, intending to be eligible for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.
This decision highlights the careful approach taken by some federations to balance the values of inclusivity in sports with the wider political and ethical implications. As the 2026 Winter Olympics draw closer, the shifting dynamics within the IOC leadership and its policies could influence the participation and status of Russian athletes, emphasizing the complex relationship between sports and geopolitics.
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