The International Skating Union (ISU) announced that Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva will no longer be allowed to compete internationally as a neutral athlete. The decision, reported by an AP source familiar with the case, follows a review of the ISU’s new eligibility rule that presumes Russian and Belarusian skaters are eligible unless they fall within specific disqualifying criteria.
Why the status was withdrawn
The ISU’s rule for the 2026‑27 season states that skaters may be denied neutral status if they have served in military or security forces, participated in military operations against Ukraine, or have “actively and publicly supported” the war since 2022. The source said Valieva’s status was revoked because the ISU had concerns she may have breached that criterion.
Another Russian skater affected
Mark Kondratiuk, a Russian men’s skater who was Valieva’s teammate at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, also had his neutral status withdrawn under the same reasoning.
Appeal process
The ISU said both athletes can appeal the decision, with rulings expected by mid‑next week. If the ISU upholds the revocation, the skaters may take their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Background on the ISU’s neutral‑athlete policy
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the ISU barred all Russian and Belarusian athletes from competition. For the Milan‑Cortina 2026 Olympics, the federation allowed a limited number of athletes to return under a neutral‑athlete designation. This season, the ISU removed the cap on neutral spots but introduced a presumption of eligibility, shifting the burden to the athletes to prove they do not support the war.
Valieva, who was 15 during the Beijing Games, became the center of a high‑profile doping controversy when a test taken two months before the Olympics showed the banned drug trimetazidine. She was later disqualified from the team event, which elevated the United States to gold. After serving a ban that expired in December 2025, Valieva returned to compete in Russian domestic events.
Implications for the sport
The revocation underscores the ISU’s stricter stance on political affiliations and public statements related to the Ukraine conflict. It also highlights the ongoing challenges for Russian athletes seeking to compete on the world stage while navigating the federation’s new eligibility standards.
Valieva has not commented publicly on the decision, and the source who provided the information requested anonymity, noting that details of such cases are typically not released.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
