Estonia bars Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing on its territory
On 13 November 2026, Estonia announced it will not allow Russian or Belarusian athletes to compete on its territory because of the ongoing war in Ukraine. The move makes Estonia the latest country to impose such a ban, following similar announcements from Norway, Finland and Canada.
In September the International Ski Federation (FIS) relaxed its eligibility rules, saying competitors from Russia and Belarus would be granted access to its events "provided that they sign a declaration of neutrality" after previously facing more stringent background checks on any voluntary link or paid duty with the military. Participation under the FIS policy is limited to individual events and athletes are banned from displaying national symbols such as flags, anthems or uniforms. Estonia's government has written to the FIS, saying that allowing entry to competitors from Russia and Belarus would undermine the country's support of Ukraine and present an opportunity for propaganda. In a statement issued to BBC Sport, the FIS said it "is committed to offering full support to athletes, national ski associations and local organisers - with most of which we have a long-standing relationship - in the process of navigating what we know to be a very complex situation. "With that said, the Individual Neutral Athlete policy is clear in stating that notwithstanding eligibility, the host country visa and entry policies remain in place and are determined solely by the host country. FIS bears no responsibility for denial of visas or entry to any person granted eligibility under the FIS Individual Neutral Athlete Policy."
On Thursday, Scandinavian neighbours Norway and Finland both said they would also block visas for Russian athletes because of the war in Ukraine. Norway is preparing to host the cross-country skiing World Cup next month, while Finland is due to stage the figure skating world championships in March. Those announcements followed the FIS change and Estonia's notification to the governing body.
The International Skating Union (ISU) said it "believes that athletes should not be punished for the actions of their governments in a world where, sadly, many conflicts are ongoing", and that it was "seeking clarifications" from officials in Finland. The ISU statement came as skating organisers and national federations sought guidance on how visa restrictions by hosts would interact with international eligibility rules.
Last month's decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) overturned a ban of Russia by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), a ruling that drew condemnation from the British, German, Finnish and Czech federations. Russia had been suspended from competing in IIHF events since the country invaded Ukraine in February 2022, but the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) successfully appealed that suspension at Cas.
The Canadian government has informed its hockey authorities that it will not issue visas for Russians to play in next month's World Junior Championship. That policy includes players who currently play for teams in Canada and will remain in place "as long as the war continues." A number of countries had said they would refuse to play against Russia, if they were allowed to take part.
The return of Russia and Belarus to parts of international sport has accelerated this year: in March several athletes from the two countries were allowed to compete under their national flags at the Winter Paralympics after partial suspensions by the International Paralympic Committee were lifted. In July the International Olympic Committee provisionally reinstated Russia to its competitions, saying a ban introduced in 2023 after the invasion of Ukraine was "no longer applicable". Individual federations have taken different approaches since then, with World Gymnastics, World Aquatics and World Boxing removing restrictions while World Athletics has maintained a total ban.
Last month it was announced that Moscow will host the 2030 World Weightlifting Championships. That decision is the first time an Olympic federation has chosen to stage a global event in Russia since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.