ISU to allow "neutral" skaters from RUS/BLR to compete at 2026 Olympics

[Skating91]

Exciting news!

Huge news. Really shakes things up in women's and pairs.

Inside ISU

Corporate Home - International Skating Union

isu.org

 

[flanker]

Good news. Of course it will be really fine when they will be able to attend all ISU competitions but it's important first step.

 

[flanker]

ISU document: https://www.isu.org/news/isu-decisi...qualification-events-under-strict-conditions/

 

[flanker]

There is a catch, however:

So only an individual/pair can qualify, in case of injury...

 

[Jumping_Bean]

There's more than one catch here. Read the criteria.
Lots of skaters won't be eligible for various reasons, most notably these two:

• Implied or explicit war support: Mark Kondratiuk for example has been openly vocal about his support of the war, while others like Stepanova/Bukin were filmed attending pro-war events and others like Evgeni Semenenko skated in that one particular Plushenko show in Tula (he made a statement later against it, but...)
• Nominated Athletes and their support personnel must have not associated in any way with any person serving a period of ineligibility for an Anti-doping rule violation - That could pretty much take out the Tutberidze and Plushenko skaters (and that could actually explain why Kamila has filed a new appeal just a few days ago).

 

[skim1001]

the fact that the ISU banned them for 3 seasons now is a big suprise in itself. But it’s going to end sooner or later. The time is now it seems.

Reading through this document. The ISU have laid out very strict conditions for who can be called “neutral” and it seems most will not be able meet those terms.

 

[Mathematician]

• Nominated Athletes and their support personnel must have not associated in any way with any person serving a period of ineligibility for an Anti-doping rule violation

That seems vague to me

 

[IceDancingQueen]

Wow I’m so surprised by this! Do we know Is it only the Olympics they will participate in and not other ISU events next year?

 

[Kittosuni]

There is a catch, however:

So only an individual/pair can qualify, in case of injury...

So how are they going to determine which one to send? Dance is probably out of the picture since they are the hardest to medal for Russia and also probably Men. So it comes down to Ladies single and pairs.

Mishina/Galianov is probably out since they participated in some shows. How about B/K?

I'm guessing Rusfed will send a list of names to ISU so they can determine who can participate in the qualifyers in Beijing next year.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

That seems vague to me

Vague yes, but being coached by someone who was the coach of a different skater at the time they were suspended is very unlikely to not fall under this condition.

Wow I’m so surprised by this! Do we know Is it only the Olympics they will participate in and not other ISU events next year?

Only the Olympic qualifying event and the Olympics, no other competitions. Technically, in a way, these aren't ISU competitions, but IOC ones and the IOC has been pressuring many sports organisations to allow neutral athletes back in for a while now.

 

[Skating91]

There is a catch, however:

So only an individual/pair can qualify, in case of injury...

It does seem like it's filled with booby traps every step of the way by design. No doubt Adelia will be sent to the qualifying tournament, but she still has to get through that. You never know what can happen.

I do think the ISU want a Russian skater especially in women's they love a little controversy at every Olympics. I think this was in response to the dismal GP series and GP final, where they struggled to attract attention via the skating so they will go back to the old fashioned way of doing it -- stirring up controversy.

 

[Kittosuni]

the fact that the ISU banned them for 3 seasons now is a big suprise in itself. But it’s going to end sooner or later. The time is now it seems.

Reading through this document. The ISU have laid out very strict conditions for who can be called “neutral” and it seems most will not be able meet those terms.

Yeah most skaters from the last quad are probably ineligible so their best bet for that single spot is probably a junior lady going senior next season forward.

 

[flanker]

Mishina/Galianov is probably out since they participated in some shows. How about B/K?

I think they could fulfill the conditions, there is another problem however. It says that nominated athletes and their athlete support personnel must not be associated in any way with any Person serving a period of Ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation. So basically TT is probably out, no Adelka, unless she changes team? Or it matters only to supporting team that accompanies the skater to the competition?

I'm guessing Rusfed will send a list of names to ISU so they can determine who can participate in the qualifyers in Beijing next year.

That probably will be a solution.

 

[flanker]

It does seem like it's filled with booby traps every step of the way by design. No doubt Adelia will be sent to the qualifying tournament, but she still has to get through that. You never know what can happen.

I do think the ISU want a Russian skater especially in women's they love a little controversy at every Olympics. I think this was in response to the dismal GP series and GP final, where they struggled to attract attention via the skating so they will go back to the old fashioned way of doing it -- stirring up controversy.

It's a minefield, that's true.

 

[Skating91]

So how are they going to determine which one to send? Dance is probably out of the picture since they are the hardest to medal for Russia and also probably Men. So it comes down to Ladies single and pairs.

Mishina/Galianov is probably out since they participated in some shows. How about B/K?

I'm guessing Rusfed will send a list of names to ISU so they can determine who can participate in the qualifyers in Beijing next year.

They send Adelia, M/G. I don't think Russia will medal in anything else anyway.

S/B won't be eligible since they went to a rally, Mark went to a rally as well I think.

Semenenko's failure yesterday is massively costly now. Men's will be intense tomorrow.

There is still the GP final mid-February to finalise selection.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

So how are they going to determine which one to send? Dance is probably out of the picture since they are the hardest to medal for Russia and also probably Men. So it comes down to Ladies single and pairs.

Mishina/Galianov is probably out since they participated in some shows. How about B/K?

I'm guessing Rusfed will send a list of names to ISU so they can determine who can participate in the qualifyers in Beijing next year.

B/K skated in Plushenko's show in Tula, but might be able to still go. They were more outspoken than Evgeni, as they released a statement before the show about having reached out to the head of the Russian skating federation about not wanting to skate at this show (due to the symbolism used) and were refused any assistance.

RusFed will have to choose one skater, who will then be assessed by the ISU/IOC/etc., they won't be able to send a list.

 

[Skating91]

• Nominated Athletes and their support personnel must have not associated in any way with any person serving a period of ineligibility for an Anti-doping rule violation - That could pretty much take out the Tutberidze and Plushenko skaters (and that could actually explain why Kamila has filed a new appeal just a few days ago).

This is normal for any athlete banned by WADA. Active athletes aren't allowed to associate with someone suspended for an anti-doping violation, and none of them have.

 

[Mathematician]

This is normal for any athlete banned by WADA. Active athletes aren't allowed to associate with someone suspended for an anti-doping violation, and none of them have.

Yea, I think thats what it means. She is banned from the whole training camp. They have no association with her since she was actually serving the sentence which is what the specific wording implies. Such action would be subversive to the courts. Their pre-sentence association is not a violation of anything logically. They have been careful to avoid even shows with her for example. The wording says association with someone serving a sentence, she was not serving when they associated, now she is serving and they have zero association.

AOP's whole group might be finished though for the war connections.

 

[Skating91]

Probably Dikidzhi goes if Semenenko was in a show they might hold against him. Gumennik would get PCS from foreign judges but would hammer him for his landings.

 

[Andrina]

Well.

I missed last two Olympic Games because of the time difference.

And will now miss the next ones because of the ISU being corrupted like hell.