Russian skiers are contesting their ongoing exclusion from competitions in an effort to secure participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics, as confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Thursday. A group consisting of six skiers, six Para athletes, and the Russian ski federation has lodged an appeal against the recent decision made by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation to extend the comprehensive ban imposed amidst Russia’s conflict with Ukraine. The Court of Arbitration for Sport has not provided a specific timeline for the hearing of this expedited case, which is set to take place three months prior to the commencement of the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February.
There is a possibility of a favorable legal outcome for Russia following a recent ruling by a different panel of judges at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which upheld a challenge by Russian lugers. This ruling mandates the International Luge Federation to initiate the evaluation of athletes for potential approval of neutral status. The concept of neutral status, as outlined in the International Olympic Committee guidelines, allows athletes who have not endorsed the military actions in Ukraine and lack affiliations with military or state security entities to compete under a neutral banner. Notably, some Russian and Belarusian athletes participated in the Paris Summer Games last year without displaying their national flag, anthem, or team colors.