Finland has promised not to allow figure skaters from the Russian Federation to compete. The ISU is awaiting clarification.
According to a Finnish government press release, Russians will be barred from entering the country for "short-term work performed on a visa, including in professional sports." The restrictions will begin to apply on November 16 - four days before the start of the Grand Prix phase of figure skating in the country, which was supposed to include athletes from the Russian Federation in neutral status. Finland is also set to host the 2027 World Figure Skating Championships in March.
"As long as Russia's aggressive war continues, Russian athletes have nothing to do in Finland. Their entry into the country would pose a threat to Finland's international relations. The same goes for other short-term work visas that are not significant to Finland's national interests," said Finnish Foreign Minister Alina Veltonen in connection with the tightening of the rules.
The International Skating Union (ISU) has announced that it has taken note of the Finnish government's announcement about the entry of Russians into the country and is examining the possible consequences of the current situation. Clarifications on this matter were requested from Helsinki. The ISU noted that the union "believes that athletes should not be punished for the actions of their governments in a world where, unfortunately, many conflicts continue."