Overview
- CAS partially upheld appeals by Russian and Belarusian federations, ruling that FIS must allow athletes who meet IOC Individual Neutral Athlete criteria into qualification events under principles of neutrality and non-discrimination.
- FIS acknowledged the decision and opened an application process for neutral status, specifying participation only in individual events and limiting accreditation to essential, vetted support staff.
- The ruling restores full national-symbol rights for Russian Paralympians in FIS events, consistent with IPC measures that permit participation under their flag and anthem.
- A tight timeline before the Jan. 18 qualification cutoff, coupled with visa and travel obstacles for World Cup stops, creates significant uncertainty over how many athletes can earn quota places.
- The decision follows similar CAS outcomes in luge and bobsleigh, while Russia’s sports minister Mikhail Degtyaryov has suggested the Milan-Cortina contingent could be as few as 15 neutral athletes if they qualify.