Finland bans Russian athletes ahead of skiing World Cup opener - The Straits Times
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen attends a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the State Department in Washington, DC, US, October 29, 2026. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
Nov 12 - Finland will ban Russian athletes β including those competing as neutrals β ahead of this month's cross-country skiing World Cup opener in Ruka, the government said on Thursday.
As of November 16, Russian citizens with Schengen visas will only be allowed into Finland to work in tasks that are deemed essential to the country's national interests, the government said in a statement. That excludes sport, it said.
"As Russia's war of aggression continues, Russian athletes have no business coming to Finland. Their entry would endanger Finland's international relations," Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said.
The far northern Finnish resort of RukaΒ will host the men's and women's 10km classic races, classic sprints and 20km freestyle mass starts from November 27 to 29. The World Cup returns to Finland for races in the city of Lahti from February 12 to 14. Ruka will also host the men's World Cup ski jumping on November 28 and 29.
Poland's foreign ministry told Reuters on Wednesday it would refuse visas to Russian ski jumpers for World Cup events in Wisla in December and Zakopane in January.
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) allows Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals in individual events. Asked about Poland's decision, FIS told Reuters on Wednesday that host countries set their own entry rules and that it "bears no responsibility for denial of visas or entry" to athletes it has cleared.
Reuters has asked FIS whether it has anything to add following Finland's announcement.
Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell told Reuters last month his government was examining whether it could refuse visas to Russian and Belarusian athletes. Sweden hosts the Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun in February and March.
In ice hockey, Canada said on Wednesday it would deny entry to Russian players and officials for the World Junior Championship in Alberta, even if they held valid visas, citing Moscow's war in Ukraine.
The entry restrictions could affect Russian participation in other international events in Finland, including figure skating competitions.
The International Skating Union (ISU) said it was seeking clarification on how the entry restrictions could affect next year's Figure Skating World Championships in Tampere. The event runs from March 17-21.
"ISU believes that athletes should not be punished for the actions of their governments in a world where, sadly, many conflicts are ongoing," it said in a statement.
Helsinki hosts the Finlandia Trophy, an ISU Grand Prix event, on November 20 and 21. Organisers list Russian pair Aleksandra Boikova and Dmitrii Kozlovskii as neutral entrants. REUTERS
