ON PROCEDURES CONCERNING RUSSIAN PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL SPORT AND ISSUES ICE HOCKEY RULING

Lausanne, Friday 30 October 2026 – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has managed numerous requests for arbitration between 2025 and 2026 by Russian sports-bodies and athletes concerning participation in international sports. These procedures are assessed and continue to be assessed within a legal and sporting context, and on their individual merits.

The procedures mostly centre around eligibility and governance matters – whether athletes and national federations are eligible to compete and under which conditions, and whether sports bodies have followed the applicable rules. CAS must carry out each appeal or request for arbitration separately and only appeals concerning the same sport or decision can be consolidated. Procedures are decided by an individually nominated Arbitral Panel and on the basis of the applicable rules, specific to each International Federation.

This year, CAS has received three separate appeals by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) against the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) concerning the participation of Russian teams in IIHF competitions and participation of the RIHF in an IIHF Congress. Today, CAS upheld one of these appeals, and the IIHF are ordered to allow the participation of Russian teams in the following competitions:

World Junior Championship, Canada, 26 December 2026 – 5 January 2027
U18 Women’s World Championship, Czech Republic, 8–16 January 2027
U18 Men’s World Championship, USA, 22 April – 2 May 2027
Men’s World Championship, Germany, 14–30 May 2027
Women’s World Championship, Canada, November 2027

In January 2026, the IIHF Council decided not to reintegrate Russian teams into IIHF competitions for the 2026-2027 season, citing safety and security concerns. The RIHF appealed this decision to the IIHF Disciplinary Board, and the decision was annulled in May 2026. The matter was sent back to the IIHF Council to re-analyse it based on safety, security, operational, and sporting plans. In June 2026, the IIHF Council decided to maintain their initial decision not to reintegrate Russian teams.

The RIHF and the IIHF agreed to skip internal instances and refer the matter directly to CAS for a final ruling. Accordingly, the RIHF filed an appeal to CAS against the IIHF Council decision, and the case was heard in-person at CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 23 and 26 October 2026.

The CAS Panel, composed of Mr Giulio Palermo as President (Italy), Mr Ismail Selim (Egypt) and Mr Mark Hovell (UK), found that the IIHF arguments citing safety, security and other concerns were not supported by sufficient evidence. They noted that the IIHF Disciplinary Board already found that the evidence was insufficient to establish the legal requirements for non-participation. The Panel unanimously concluded that, in the light of the applicable IIHF regulations, only substantiated security concerns could outweigh athletes of a particular nationality to participate in competitions. Consequently, the appeal was upheld.

The Panel set aside the IIHF Council decision with immediate effect, but did not order alternative measures, such as a neutrality regime, nor discussed organizational consequences, which were not requested and not subject to the appeal. This CAS award is Operative only, with grounds to follow (CAS/A/12753).

On 13 October 2026, CAS dismissed two appeals by the Russian Curling Federation and Russian athletes against two World Curling decisions to lift the exclusion for Russian junior athletes but maintain it for other Russian teams, and to maintain an exclusion on Russia from adult World Curling competitions until the end of 2026. World Curling cited that the reintroduction of Russian adult athletes would present significant challenges to the integrity of the competitions.

These procedures were consolidated and a virtual hearing was held on 6 October 2026. The CAS Panel heard World Curling’s arguments that it seeks to avoid problems such as teams refusing to compete against Russian athletes, hosts refusing to stage competitions in which Russian athletes take part, or visa refusals. They concluded that the World Curling decisions are based on issues posing a problem to the well-functioning of the competitions, and that their nature is not disciplinary. Consequently, the appeals were dismissed, and Russian adult athletes remain excluded from World Curling events. These decisions were Operative only, with grounds to follow (CAS 2026/A/12777 and CAS 2026/A/12173).

Procedures concerning Russian participation decided by CAS in 2025–2026
In October 2025, CAS partially upheld an appeal by the Russian Luge Federation (RLF) and Russian athletes contesting a decision by the International Luge Federation which cited risks to the safety of the competitions. The CAS Panel ruled that Russian athletes should be allowed to participate in International Luge Federation (FIL) competitions in strict compliance with AIN eligibility criteria (CAS 2025/A/11592).
In December 2025, CAS partially upheld an appeal by the Russian Ski Association (RSF) and Russian athletes against the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). The CAS Panel found that the FIS Statutes require the FIS to be politically neutral. They ruled that Russian athletes should be allowed to participate in FIS events in strict compliance with AIN eligibility criteria (CAS 2025/A/11915).
In January 2026, CAS received an appeal by the Russian Gymnastics Federation and a Russian gymnast against the International Gymnastics Federation concerning neutral status. This appeal was withdrawn and the procedure was terminated in June 2026 (CAS 2026/A/12137). This follows the same procedural outcome as seven other gymnastics procedures in 2025 (2025/A/11320-11327).
In March 2026, CAS heard an appeal filed by the Russian Luge Federation and Russian Athletes concerning the participation of Athletes with Individual Neutrality status (AIN) in all Men’s and Women’s Doubles Teams luge events. The CAS Panel dismissed the appeal and confirmed the decision of the FIL Executive Board to consider that the Men’s and Women’s Doubles Teams, Team Relay, and Mixed Team events are ‘Team’ events, and therefore not open to AIN status (CAS 2025/A/11986).
In March 2026, CAS issued a ruling in an appeal by the Ukrainian Chess Federation to suspend the membership of the Chess Federation of Russia from the International Chess Federation (FIDE) if it did not cease to regulate chess activities in the city of Sevastopol and the regions of Crimea, Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporozhye (CAS 2024/A/10911).
In April 2026, CAS received an appeal by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) against the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), following a decision denying RIHF participation in person at the IIHF Congress of May 2026, which was withdrawn and terminated by CAS in June 2026 (CAS 2026/A/12331).
Ongoing CAS procedures that concern Russian participation
CAS 2025/O/12015 Russian Biathlon Union et al. v. International Biathlon Union (IBU). This procedure concerns the participation of Russian athletes in IBU competitions. A final decision is expected in due course.
CAS 2026/A/12558 Russian Ice Hockey Federation v. International Ice Hockey Federation. This appeal was filed prior to the case decided today (CAS 2026/A/12753) concerning the IIHF Disciplinary Board decision in May 2026. An accelerated procedural calendar was agreed for 12753 which concerned the subsequent IIHF Council decision in the same matter.
CAS 2026/O/12684 Russian Athletics v. World Athletics and CAS 2026/O/12612 Russian Athletics v. World Athletics. These procedures concern the World Athletics ban on Russian athletes. A hearing for these procedures is yet to be scheduled.
CAS procedures relating to International Olympic Committee (IOC) decisions
In October 2023, the IOC suspended the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC). The ROC appealed this decision at CAS, which was dismissed (CAS 2023/A/10093).
In July 2026, the IOC provisionally lifted the suspension of the ROC. The NOC of Ukraine filed an appeal to CAS against the IOC decision the same month, and this procedure is ongoing (CAS 2026/A/12669).
This is an unofficial summary for media use. For legal purposes, only the language used in a written decision is binding.

  • • •

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is an independent organisation that resolves sports disputes worldwide. Established in 1984, CAS has tailored procedural rules to render impartial decisions through arbitration and mediation. Sporting bodies and athletes assign CAS the judicial authority to uphold an equal and just application of sporting regulations.

Tribunal Arbitral du Sport (TAS) | Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)

Palais de Beaulieu, Avenue Bergières 10 – CH-1004 Lausanne

T: +41 21 613 5000 | F: +41 21 613 5001 | www.tas-cas.org | media@tas-cas.org

###