Finland and Norway have announced new measures to restrict the participation of Russian athletes in international sporting events held within their borders, in response to Russia’s ongoing military actions in Ukraine. The restrictions, effective from November 16 in Finland, will apply to Russian athletes regardless of whether they compete under neutral status. Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen stated that Russian athletes should not compete in Finland while the conflict persists, accusing Russia of using sports for propaganda purposes.
Norway has also implemented similar restrictions, extending the measures to include Belarusian athletes and their support staff. Norwegian authorities have instructed immigration officials and police to prevent these athletes from entering the country for competitions. These restrictions are expected to be enforced soon.
The new policies are likely to impact several major international sports events, including the cross-country skiing World Cup in Trondheim scheduled for December and the Figure Skating World Championships planned for Tampere in March 2027. The International Skating Union is currently seeking clarification from Finnish organizers regarding the potential implications of these restrictions on the events.
These decisions pose a challenge to international sports federations that have allowed some Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate under a neutral status. Ukraine has welcomed Finland’s stance and has urged other European nations to adopt similar measures in solidarity.