Estonia has become the latest country to announce that it will not allow Russian or Belarusian athletes to compete on its territory due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
This comes after Norway, Finland and Canada made similar announcements.
The measures come amid growing backlash over the reinstatement of athletes from Russia and Belarus.
In September, the International Ski Federation (FIS) relaxed its rules, saying competitors from both countries would have access to its events “provided they sign a declaration of neutrality.”
They had previously been subject to stricter background checks regarding any voluntary connection or paid service with the military.
Participation remains limited to individual events, with athletes prohibited from displaying national symbols such as flags, anthems or uniforms.
However, it now emerges that the Estonian government has written to the FIS, claiming that allowing the entry of Russian and Belarusian competitors would weaken the country’s support for Ukraine and provide a propaganda opportunity.
In a statement released to BBC Sport, the FIS said it “is committed to offering its full support to athletes, national ski associations and local organizers – many of whom we have a long-standing relationship with – in the process of navigating what we know to be a very complex situation.”
“That said, the Individual Neutral Athlete Policy is clear in stating that notwithstanding eligibility, the visa and entry policies of the host country remain in place and are determined solely by the host country. The FIS assumes no responsibility for the denial of visa or entry to any eligible person under the FIS Individual Neutral Athlete Policy.”
On Thursday, Scandinavian neighbors Norway and Finland both announced they would also block visas for Russian athletes due to the war in Ukraine.
Norway is preparing to host the cross-country skiing World Cup next month, while Finland is due to host the world figure skating championships in March. The International Skating Union (ISU) said it “believes that athletes should not be punished for the actions of their governments in a world where, unfortunately, there are many ongoing conflicts”, and that it was “seeking clarification” from Finnish officials.
It follows last month’s decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to overturn a ban on Russia by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), a move condemned by the British, German, Finnish and Czech federations.
Russia has been suspended from participating in IIHF events since the country invaded Ukraine in February 2022, but the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) later successfully appealed this decision to the Cas. The court said the IIHF’s arguments citing safety and security were “not supported by sufficient evidence”, but the Hockey Federation of Ukraine said the decision had caused “particular outrage”.
The Canadian government has since informed hockey authorities that it will not issue visas to Russians to participate in next month’s World Junior Championship, including those currently playing for teams in Canada, as long as the war continues. A number of countries have said they would refuse to play Russia if allowed to participate.
Despite the controversy, Russia and Belarus’ return to international sport is gaining momentum this year.
In March, several athletes from both countries were allowed to compete under their national flags at the Winter Paralympics after partial suspensions imposed by the International Paralympic Committee were lifted.
In July, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) provisionally reinstated Russia to its competitions, saying a ban introduced in 2023 after the invasion of Ukraine was “no longer applicable”.
However, sports federations can still impose their own eligibility criteria. While World Gymnastics, World Aquatics and World Boxing have all removed restrictions on Russian athletes competing, a total ban has been maintained by World Athletics.
Last month, it was announced that Moscow would host the 2030 World Weightlifting Championships – the first time an Olympic federation has chosen to stage a global event in Russia since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Gn sports
