Overview
- The FIAS executive committee approved the change on December 4, allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags with anthems at all FIAS events starting January 1, 2026.
- The decision extends to all age groups and follows an October step that had already reinstated national symbols for youth and junior categories.
- It reverses a policy in place since March 2022, when athletes from Russia and Belarus competed under the FIAS flag and logo at international events.
- FIAS president Vasiliy Shestakov said the move returns the situation to the legal field and reinforces the principle that sport should foster dialogue rather than serve political restrictions.
- Russia’s sports minister Mikhail Degtyarev welcomed the ruling as a defense of sporting and Olympic values, and the shift follows a similar IJF decision on November 27 that was first reflected at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam.