Russian Athletes Rejoin Winter Sports As Neutral Competitors

Nine Russian winter sports athletes, including bobsledders and skeleton racers, have been granted Individual Neutral Athletes status by the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation, allowing them to compete in IBSF events. This marks a partial lift of previous bans, aligning with broader trends in international winter sports.

Nine Russian winter sports athletes, comprising two bobsledders and seven skeleton racers, have been reinstated with Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) status, enabling them to compete in forthcoming International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) events. The athletes include Liubov Chernykh and Sofiia Stepushkina for bobsleigh, along with Viktoriia Fettel, Alena Frolova, Polina Kniazeva, Daniil Romanov, Vladislav Semenov, Polina Tiurina, and Ermei Zykov for skeleton.

Additionally, three officials, one doctor, and five coaches/technicians received AIN status, as reported by the IBSF. This decision is part of a broader move to allow such athletes to participate in selective IBSF events like Women's Monobob, Women's Skeleton, and Men's Skeleton.

This development follows the IBSF Appeals Tribunal's October decision to partially relax the ban on Russian competitors. Similarly, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation has accorded AIN statuses to Russian and Belarusian athletes, aligning with the International Olympic Committee's recent announcement permitting youth athletes from these nations to compete internationally without limitations.

(With inputs from agencies.)