The International Luge Federation has revoked the eligibility of three Russian athletes who were set to compete in Lake Placid, N.Y., this weekend to enhance their chances of qualifying for the Milan-Cortina Olympics. The decision was made by the federation’s executive board following the presentation of “new evidence” that raised concerns about the neutrality of Alexsandr Gorbatsevich, Sofiia Mazur, and Kseniia Shamova in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The specifics of the evidence were not disclosed by FIL officials, but a source familiar with the matter indicated that it cast doubt on the athletes’ neutrality with regard to the conflict in Ukraine. The importance of neutrality is crucial in determining which Russian athletes will be permitted to compete for Olympic qualification. Several sports federations are considering allowing Russian athletes to participate only after they undergo an independent review to confirm their lack of public support for the war and absence of affiliations with Russian military or related entities.
Despite the disqualification of the three athletes, Matvei Perestoronin, Pavel Repilov, and Daria Olesik from Russia are still scheduled to compete in Lake Placid this weekend. The trio took part in official training on Tuesday and are expected to continue training on Wednesday, with plans to participate in a Nations Cup race on Thursday, which serves as a qualifying event for those not guaranteed a spot in the World Cup field.
Russian lugers have not competed in a World Cup event since January 2022, following the response from FIL and other international sports bodies to Russia’s actions in Ukraine. The International Olympic Committee has expressed its desire for Russian athletes to compete as neutral participants in various sports at the upcoming Milan Cortina Games. While Luge initially prohibited Russian involvement this year, they revised their stance after appeals.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian athletes, who have expressed discomfort with the idea of Russian participation, began their official training at the Mount Van Hoevenberg track on Tuesday. The upcoming qualifying races in Latvia and Germany may pose challenges for Russian athletes in terms of visa arrangements. The Russians were granted visas by the U.S. for the Lake Placid event after skipping the preceding race in Utah for undisclosed reasons.
On a different note, the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation recently approved nine Russian athletes for competition this season. However, none of these athletes are registered for the World Cup skeleton races in Latvia this weekend.
