[REVISION HISTORY]

International sports federations lifting athlete bans

Updated 11 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-25 19:44 UTC → 2026-10-26 21:43 UTC · added ~~removed~~

International sports federations have begun lifting restrictions on individual Russian and Belarusian athletes following previous suspensions related to the invasion of Ukraine. On September 1, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) announced it would allow individual athletes, coaches, and officials from Russia and Belarus to participate in international and 3x3 competitions, while maintaining a ban on national teams and professional clubs. The International Ski Federation (FIS) announced that Russian and Belarusian winter sports athletes may return to World Cup competitions starting in the 2026/27 season, provided they compete under the FIS flag and sign a declaration of neutrality. FIS has since expanded its list of permitted neutral athletes to over 180 individuals. ~~Among those granted neutral status is Olympic cross-country skier Natalia Terentyeva, who is eligible to compete in the upcoming World Cup season.~~ On October 12, 2026, World Aquatics announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes may now compete under their own flags and ~~national~~ anthems, a policy that ~~now~~ extends to senior athletes. ~~European Aquatics President Antonio Silva confirmed the continental federation is bound by this ruling.~~ This has drawn opposition from Polish Swimming Federation President Otylia Jędrzejczak, who expressed difficulty regarding hosting Russian citizens at the upcoming European Championships in Rzeszów. In response, European Aquatics stated it will not organize tournaments in countries that restrict visas for Russian athletes. In Sweden, sports organizations and government officials continue to seek restrictions on Russian athletes participating in competitions on Swedish soil, specifically targeting those cleared by FIS for the World Championships in Falun. Meanwhile, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has awarded the 2030 World Weightlifting Championships to Russia. Swedish weightlifter Joen Vikingsson Sjöblom noted that while he disagrees with Russia's actions, athletes may face the necessity of competing in the country to secure qualification for future Olympic Games. On October 25, 2026, the Russian Ski Federation selected eight athletes, including Olympic champion Aleksandr Bolsjunov and Veronika Stepanova, for upcoming World Cup events in Ruka and Trondheim.

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