LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Russian skaters can return to world championships and Grand Prix events next season as neutral athletes for the first time since the full military invasion of Ukraine.

The International Skating Union said Tuesday it was lifting a ban since February 2022 on skaters and officials from Russia and Belarus taking part in its events, though without their national symbols of flag and anthem.

kAm$E:==[ 2E9=6E6D 4@F=5 7246 :DDF6D 86EE:?8 6?ECJ G:D2D 7C@> 4@F?EC:6D 9@DE:?8 x$& 6G6?ED]k^Am

kAmx? a_af[ E96 H@C=5 492>A:@?D9:AD @7 7:8FC6 D<2E:?8 😀 9@DE65 3J u:?=2?5 2?5 $@FE9 z@C62 9@DED 😕 D9@CE EC24<] r9:?2 H:== 9@DE E96 ?6IE DA665 D<2E:?8 H@C=5D]k^Am

kAm%96 x$& 4:E65 E96 DF446DD @7 D@>6 D<2E6CD 7C@> #FDD:2 2?5 q6=2CFD BF2=:7J:?8 7@C 2?5 4@>A6E:?8 2E E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^>:=2?\4@CE:?2\a_ae\H:?E6C\@=J>A:4DQma_ae |:=2? r@CE:?2 ~=J>A:4Dk^2m “H:E9@FE C6=2E65 :?4:56?E]”k^Am

kAmx? 7:8FC6 D<2E:?8 😕 |:=2?[ #FDD:2?D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^256=::2\A6EC@D:2?\7:8FC6\D<2E:?8\CFDD:2\@=J>A:4D\2fbb63_54g5_5h2hh5c_6cgb_ae`3742Qmp56=::2 !6EC@D:2?k^2m 2?5 !6EC vF>6??:< H6C6 4=62C65 E@ 4@>A6E6 H:E9 ?6FEC2= DE2EFD 2?5 3@E9 7:?:D965 D:IE9 😕 E96:C :?5:G:5F2= 6G6?ED] ‘:A6E65 H:E9 x?5:G:5F2= }6FEC2= pE9=6E6 DE2EFD]k^Am

kAmvF:52?46 7C@> E96 x?E6C?2E:@?2= ~=J>A:4 r@>>:EE66 2=D@ H2D ?@E65 3J E96 x$&] %96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^@=J>A:4D\:@4\36=2CFD\CFDD:2\a`6d3_beg367a5_e4`5c`226a63a27e2Qmx~r 25G:D65 DA@CED 3@5:6Dk^2m @? |2J f E@ C625>:E 2E9=6E6D 7C@> q6=2CFD H:E9@FE G6EE:?8 7@C ?6FEC2= DE2EFD]k^Am

kAm$<2E6CD 2AAC@G65 H:E9 ?6FEC2= DE2EFD >FDE ?@E 92G6 “2E 2?J E:>6 D:?46 u63CF2CJ a_aa[ 24E:G6=J 2?5 AF3=:4=J DFAA@CE65 E92E H2C[” E96 x$& D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96 8@G6C?:?8 3@5J D2:5 E96 564:D:@? “5@6D ?@E 27764E E96 x$&’D 4@?E:?F65 4@?56>?2E:@? @7 2C>65 4@?7=:4E[ ?@C E96 x$&’D @?8@:?8 DFAA@CE 7@C &

kAm%96 6I4=FD:@? @7 #FDD:2? 2?5 q6=2CFD D<2E6CD D:?46 a_aa H2D[ E96 x$& D2:5[ ?@E 2 AF?:D9>6?E 7@C E96 H2C 3FE 2 564:D:@? E2<6? “6I4=FD:G6=J 😕 E96 :?E6C6DED @7 E96 D276EJ @7 A2CE:4:A2?ED 2?5 E96 :?E68C:EJ @7 E96 4@>A6E:E:@?]”k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! (:?E6C ~=J>A:4Di k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^>:=2?\4@CE:?2\a_ae\H:?E6C\@=J>A:4DQm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^>:=2?\4@CE:?2\a_ae\H:?E6C\@=J>A:4Dk^2mk^Am


Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.