The key facts
- FIS has granted neutral status to 11 more Russian skiers — seven men and four women
- Earlier, 24 Russian skiers had already received neutral status, including Olympic champion Natalia Terentyeva
- Clearance does not mean automatic participation in all international events of the 2026/27 season
11 more skiers granted clearance
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) has granted neutral status to 11 more Russian athletes, the organization's press service reported. Those cleared include seven men: Artyom Barkov, Matvey Ketov, Vyacheslav Mamichev, Daniil Muraleev, Nikita Rodionov, Pavel Sergeev and Nikita Fadeev, as well as four female athletes — Varvara Kalinina, Arina Kusurgasheva, Alesa Rushentseva and Elizaveta Shalaboda.
What this changes in practice
The decision was made as part of the procedure for clearing Russian athletes to compete internationally. Competing under neutral status means participation without national symbols. However, the status itself does not guarantee automatic entry into all international events: athletes must also meet other eligibility requirements for each specific competition.
The total number of athletes with the status keeps growing
Earlier, as Life.ru reported, 24 Russian skiers had already received neutral status from FIS, including Olympic champion Natalia Terentyeva. Thus, with the new decision, the list of cleared athletes has grown by another 11 names. Those granted clearance will be able to compete for places in international events of the 2026/27 season, provided they meet the federation's requirements.
