ISU excludes Russian and Belarusian skaters from forthcoming World Championships
The move means no skaters from the Russian Skating Union, Figure Skating Federation of Russia, or Skating Union of Belarus will compete in three World Championships in March.
Russian and Belarusian skaters will not be allowed to participate in forthcoming competitions, the International Skating Union (ISU) has announced.
The ISU said on Tuesday that "in order to protect the integrity of ice skating competitions and for the safety of all the participants of international ice skating competitions", Russian Skating Union, Figure Skating Federation of Russia, and Skating Union of Belarus skaters will not "be invited or allowed to participate in International ice skating Competitions including ISU Championships and other ISU Events".
This is in line with the International Olympic Committee Executive Board's recommendation issued on Monday, that "International Sports Federations and sports event organisers not invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in international competitions", due to the Russian government's breach of the Olympic Truce supported by the government of Belarus.
The ISU's decision means that Russian and Belarusian athletes will be excluded, among other events, from the forthcoming World Speed Skating Championships in Hamar, Norway; the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Montreal, Canada; and the World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, France, all to be held in March.
At the recently-concluded Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, skaters representing the ROC won two speed skating medals, another two in short track, and dominated the individual figure skating competitions with five medals between the women's singles (full results are provisional), pairs, and ice dance events. Belarusian athletes did not claim any medals in the three skating disciplines.