Estonia to bar Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing on its territory

Estonia's Ministry of Culture has informed the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) in a letter that athletes from Russia and Belarus will not be able to compete in events held on Estonian territory. The announcement comes after FIS eased restrictions on athletes from these countries, and it affects major skiing and biathlon tournaments scheduled in Estonia this winter.

The ministry says the Estonian government, the Ministry of Culture and the Estonian Olympic Committee have held a united position since Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine began: Russian and Belarusian athletes and teams should not take part in international sports events while the war continues. In the ministry's view, allowing them to compete in Estonia would contradict the country's support for Ukraine and give Russia and Belarus a chance to use international media coverage for propaganda.

The letter also recalls earlier restrictions. On 10 March 2022, the Estonian government stopped issuing tourist visas to Russian and Belarusian citizens. Since 18 August of that year, Russian citizens who obtained Estonian tourist visas, including for sports events or cultural events, have been barred from entering the country. The ministry urges event organisers to express full solidarity with Ukraine and condemn Russian aggression.

FIS eases its conditions

In early September, FIS relaxed its requirements for athletes from Russia and Belarus. Previously, applicants for neutral status underwent a thorough check of their biography and communications; now they only need to confirm their neutral status. The restriction was also lifted for athletes linked to law enforcement bodies, notably the Moscow football clubs CSKA and Dynamo. Earlier this week the federation updated its list of athletes granted neutral status for the coming season. It includes Russian skier Denis Spitsov, a five-time Olympic medallist, while Alexander Bolshunov, described as Russia's best-known skier, was not granted the status.

What will take place in Estonia

No cross-country skiing World Cup stage will be held in Estonia this winter. The Junior World Championships and the U-23 World Championships in skiing are due in Otepää in the second half of January, and the Biathlon World Championships will take place in February at the ski stadium of the Tehvandi Sports Centre. The governments of Finland and Norway have also announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be allowed to compete in events on their territories.