Following a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling, the International Ski Federation (FIS) has expanded its list of Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) to include five Russian athletes and two technical staff members. This decision allows them to compete in FIS events, including qualification events for the 2026 Winter Olympics, despite a previous ban. The move comes after the Russian Ski Association appealed FIS's blanket ban, and CAS ruled that FIS statutes require political neutrality and prohibit discrimination. FIS must also allow Russian para-athletes to participate under IPC guidelines.

Following a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) will now allow eligible Russian and Belarusian athletes, including para-athletes, to participate in all FIS events. This includes qualification events for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games. The ruling stems from a challenge to FIS's previous ban, with CAS finding that FIS statutes protect individuals from discrimination and require political neutrality. The updated policy mandates direct athlete applications to FIS, excluding involvement from national ski associations of Russia and Belarus. FIS has updated its list of approved athletes and support personnel.

After a protracted legal battle and political hurdles, Russia's luge team has secured visas to compete in the second round of the International Luge Federation (FIL) World Cup in Park City, Utah. This follows a recent Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling overturning the FIL's earlier prohibition. The move signifies a step towards reintegrating Russian athletes into international competition, though challenges remain, including ongoing disputes with the International Ski Federation (FIS) and the International Luge Federation regarding qualification for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and Minister of Sport Mikhail Degtyarev played a key role in securing the visas.

The International SAMBO Federation (FIAS) announced that athletes from Russia and Belarus will be allowed to compete under their national flags and anthems in all international events starting January 1, 2026. This decision, reversing the neutral status imposed since 2022, is a major step towards full normalization. Previously, in June 2025, the {392: {names: {en: "International Paralympic Committee"}}} voted to reinstate the full membership rights of the National Paralympic Committees of Russia and Belarus, and the {163: {names: {en: "International Judo Federation"}}} had reinstated full national representation for Belarusian athletes in June 2025, extending this right to Russian judokas in November 2025.

Despite the International Paralympic Committee's (IPC) decision to lift suspensions on Russian and Belarusian National Paralympic Committees, several federations, including the International Ski and Snowboard Federation and {178.names.en}, have maintained their bans. This means athletes from these countries are unlikely to compete in the upcoming Milano Cortina Paralympics. The IPC's decision, made in September, to restore full membership rights was met with concern from numerous countries. While the IPC is optimistic about the 2026 Winter Paralympics, federations' actions limit participation. The Games are set for March 2026.