Russian skiers are contesting their ongoing exclusion from competitions as they seek to meet the requirements for the 2026 Winter Olympics, as per the Court of Arbitration for Sport announcement on Thursday. A group comprising six skiers, six Para athletes, and the Russian ski federation has lodged an appeal against the International Ski and Snowboard Federation’s recent decision to prolong their blanket ban amid the nation’s conflict with Ukraine. The Court of Arbitration for Sport has not provided a specific schedule for a hearing in this expedited case, just three months prior to the commencement of the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February.
Last week, another panel of judges at CAS upheld a challenge by Russian lugers, indicating a potential legal victory for Russia. This ruling necessitates the International Luge Federation to commence evaluating athletes for authorized neutral status. In accordance with the International Olympic Committee’s guidelines, neutral status can be granted in most Olympic sports to athletes who have not openly endorsed the military intervention in Ukraine and have no affiliations with military or state security organizations. At the Paris Summer Games last year, certain Russian and Belarusian athletes participated without displaying their national flag, anthem, or team colors.
