Does the World Ski Federation FIS have to admit athletes from Russia and Belarus? A corresponding lawsuit before the CAS has now been partially successful.
The International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has partially upheld two lawsuits from Russia and Belarus against the World Ski and Snowboard Federation FIS. Accordingly, Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to take part in FIS qualifying competitions for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo under neutral status (AIN), provided they meet the criteria of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The CAS announced this on Tuesday (December 2, 2025).
FIS decision from October overturned
The statement states that both CAS committees “found that the FIS statutes protect individuals from discrimination and require the FIS to be politically neutral.” The FIS’s decision goes against this “represents a blanket exclusion of athletes based on their nationality, regardless of whether the athletes would meet the AIN eligibility requirements.”
Olympic and Paralympics medalist had complained
In October, the FIS decided against allowing athletes from Russia and its war ally Belarus to return as neutral athletes. The Russian Ski Association took legal action against this with the country’s Paralympic Committee. The Belarusian Ski Association also filed a lawsuit. Twelve Russian athletes and five Belarusians joined the lawsuits. Among the athletes are the Russian ski jumper Danil Sadreev (mixed Olympic silver in 2022), the multiple Alpine Paralympics medalist Alexey Bugaev and the Belarusian aerials Olympic champion Hanna Huskova.
Belarusian Hanna Huskova in action.
The CAS rejected further demands – such as the admission of Russian supervisors or officials.
Olympic participation possible as neutral individual athletes
The IOC is refusing to allow Russia to return to the big stage as a sporting nation because of the ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. However, it is possible for Russian athletes to take part in the Olympics in northern Italy, as they did last year at the Summer Games in Paris, as individual athletes under a neutral flag. To do this, these athletes must be approved by the international professional associations for the Olympic qualifications and regularly qualify for the Olympic competitions.
This is now possible in alpine skiing, freeskiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined and ski jumping.