Only four Russian figure skaters approved for 2026 Olympics qualification event as neutrals

Eteri Tutberidze, congratulates silver medalists Evgenia Tarasova, centre, with Alexandra Trusova, right, following the pairs free skate program during the figure skating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 19, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, file)

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Four Russian figure skaters were approved Tuesday by the International Skating Union to try to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics as neutral athletes who have not supported the invasion of Ukraine, including 17-year-old national champion Adelia Petrosian.

No Russian athletes, however, were approved to compete in the pairs and ice dance disciplines at a one-off Olympic qualification meeting in September in Beijing. The 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics open on Feb. 6.

The ISU said “not all nominated athletes passed the rigorous screening” and the eligibility decisions by its ruling council are “final with regard to all applicants and not subject to appeal.”

Russians and Belarusians have been banned from international skating events since the full military invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022, four days after the Beijing Winter Games closed.

The ISU previously said Russia and Belarus can have just one competitor — individual, pair, or ice dance couple — in each discipline at the Olympics.

At the 2024 Paris Summer Games, Russia was banned from team sports though a small group of individual Russian athletes ended up being allowed to compete as approved neutral athletes. They were judged not to have publicly supported the war or have ties to the military or state security agencies.

A similar process in underway ahead of the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics.

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The ISU said it “thoroughly examined public appearances and statements made by the nominated (neutral athletes) since February 2022, to assess any active support for the invasion of Ukraine or any contractual links to Russian or Belarusian military and other national security agencies.”

Petrosian is the likely star name among the Russian figure skaters.

The two-time national champion turns 18 in June and is coached by Eteri Tutberidze. The storied Russian team mentor was a controversial figure at the Beijing Olympics coaching gold-medal favorite Kamila Valieva through a doping scandal, and the eventual gold medalist Anna Shcherbakova.

The likely back-up women’s skater approved for the Olympic qualifier is 17-year-old Alina Gorbacheva.

The two men’s individual skaters approved as eligible to qualify are Petr Gummenik and Vladislav Dikidzhi.

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