Russia and Belarus will remain excluded from international biathlon
Russian and Belarusian biathletes will not compete in international competitions organized by the International Biathlon Union during the 2026–27 season. The IBU has not lifted the suspension of the two countries’ national federations, and their athletes are not permitted to compete even under neutral status. The organization had previously set conditions for a possible return, but those conditions were not met.
Russian and Belarusian biathletes will miss the 2026–27 season in international competitions organized by the IBU. The International Biathlon Union has not lifted the suspension of the national federations of Russia and Belarus.
This means that athletes from these countries will not be able to compete in World Cup stages, the IBU Cup, or other international events held under the organization’s auspices. At the same time, the IBU does not provide a separate mechanism for them to participate under neutral status.
What the IBU Decided
The status of the Russian and Belarusian federations has been under the IBU’s review since 2022. At that time, the organization suspended the membership of the Russian Biathlon Union and the Belarusian Biathlon Federation. The IBU set forth specific conditions for their possible reinstatement. In particular, the federations were required to clearly distance themselves from the war against Ukraine. Additionally, athletes and officials must not be affiliated with Russian military structures or participate in military operations.
In August, the Ukrainian Biathlon Federation reported that Russian and Belarusian biathletes would not compete in the 2026–27 international season. According to the Ukrainian federation, in early summer, representatives from Russia and Belarus appealed to the IBU to reconsider the sanctions, but their requests were rejected.
Why Athletes Were Not Admitted Even Under Neutral Status
It is also important to note that in biathlon, there is no option to simply remove the flag and allow athletes to compete as neutrals. The IBU has previously stated explicitly that its rules do not provide for such a mechanism for athletes from Russia and Belarus. Therefore, even if an individual athlete does not compete under a national flag, this alone does not grant them access to international competitions.
For a return to competition, the IBU requires that certain conditions be met. This involves not only the formal absence of national symbols but also the stance of athletes and officials regarding the war and their ties to the military or security forces.
What’s Happening at the IBU Congress
The 17th Congress of the International Biathlon Union is taking place in Berchtesgaden, Germany, from September 17–20, 2026. This is the IBU’s governing body, which makes the federation’s key decisions.
On the eve of the Congress, the IBU announced that the issue of the membership of the Russian and Belarusian federations had not been included on the agenda as a separate item. At the same time, delegates were to be presented with a report from the Executive Board’s Monitoring Group on the situation with both federations and their compliance with the conditions related to the suspension of their membership. Thus, for Russian and Belarusian biathletes, the situation for the 2026–27 season remains unchanged—they are not permitted to compete in international events under the auspices of the IBU.
Russia Sought to Have the Sanctions Reviewed
Back in the summer, the Russian Biathlon Union and the Belarusian Federation attempted to secure a review of their sanctions. However, the IBU did not see sufficient grounds for their lifting. The Ukrainian Biathlon Federation noted that the main condition remains distancing oneself from the war against Ukraine. This also includes the absence of athletes’ and officials’ participation in the war or ties to military structures.
Consequently, Russian and Belarusian biathletes remain excluded from international biathlon for the fourth consecutive season since the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. In the 2026–27 season, they will also be unable to compete in international IBU events, including under a neutral flag. This was reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing the press service of the Ukrainian Biathlon Federation.
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