The key facts
- Mishina and Galliamov made the entry list for the ISU Grand Prix stage in Helsinki after the Austrians withdrew
- Three Russian pairs will compete at the event in a neutral status
- For the duo, this is the second Grand Prix stage of the season after Shenzhen
Invitation to Helsinki
World and European champions in pairs skating Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov have received an invitation to the International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix stage in Finland, which will be held in Helsinki from November 20 to 22. The spot in the updated entry list went to the Russian duo after the Austrian pair Gabriella Izzo and Luca Mayerhofer withdrew: Mishina and Galliamov topped the ISU reserve list and received the vacated place. The invitation was confirmed by the Figure Skating Federation of Russia, reports Life.ru.
Three Russian pairs in a neutral status
Besides Mishina and Galliamov, two more Russian pairs will compete at the Finnish stage — Aleksandra Boikova and Dmitrii Kozlovskii, as well as Ekaterina Chikmareva and Matvei Ianchenkov. All three duos are entered without national symbols, that is, in a neutral status. Thus, Russia will occupy three spots in the pairs competition at this event.
Second stage of the season
For Mishina and Galliamov, the start in Helsinki will be their second Grand Prix event of the international series this season: earlier they received an invitation to the competition in Shenzhen, China, scheduled for November 6–8. Competing in two stages allows the duo to earn ranking points and claim a place in the series final.
The duo's achievements
The 25-year-old Mishina and the 27-year-old Galliamov won the World Championship in 2021 and the European Championship in 2022, and became Russian champions three times (2022, 2024, 2025). At the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, they finished third twice — in the pairs competition and in the team event.
Context: the topic of compensation for exclusion
Separately, Life.ru recalls another initiative related to the situation of Russian athletes: State Duma deputy Andrei Klimov proposed that athletes seek compensation for being barred from international competitions and present a bill to the International Olympic Committee and sports federations. In his view, athletes have the right to defend their interests through Russian courts, although the proceedings may drag on for years, and even now they should start collecting evidence of each case of exclusion for future damage claims. This statement by the deputy remains an opinion, not an adopted decision.
