November 13, Pozirk. Belarusian and Russian athletes will not be allowed to compete in international events held in Estonia, the country’s culture ministry says in a letter to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS).
“The Estonian government believes that competitions involving Russian and Belarusian athletes cannot be held in our territory,” the letter says. “Estonia is among the most active supporters of Ukraine.”
Allowing athletes from the two countries to compete would be inconsistent with this stance and enable Moscow and Minsk to use international media coverage of sporting events for propaganda purposes, the ministry says.
The announcement comes after a decision by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation in early September to allow Belarusian and Russian athletes to participate in individual-only events in the 2026/27 season as neutral athletes.
Previously, applicants for neutral status had to undergo thorough checks of their backgrounds and affiliations. They are now only required to confirm their neutrality. The FIS has also lifted restrictions on athletes linked to security agencies.
Estonia will not host a Cross-Country Skiing World Cup event during the 2026/27 winter season. However, the 2027 FIS Nordic Junior and U23 World Ski Championships are scheduled to take place in Estonia’s Otepää in January. In February, the town will host the 2027 Biathlon World Championships, although biathlon is governed by a separate international federation.
The ministry also recalls that Estonia stopped issuing tourist visas to citizens of Belarus and Russia in March 2022.
On November 12, Norway’s government announced an intention to ban Belarusian and Russian professional athletes, as well as their support staff, from entering the country to participate in competitions.
On the same day, Reuters reported with reference to EU diplomats the European Union’s 22nd package of sanctions over Russia’s war against Ukraine might include a ban on Belarusian and Russian athletes competing in international competitions in the EU.
When Russia launched a full-scale war on Ukraine with the help of authorities in Minsk in February 2022, the International Olympic Committee urged sports federations to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from all competitions. In March 2023, it recommended that some of them could be allowed as neutral athletes under certain conditions, such as not supporting the war. In May 2026, the Committee said that it no longer recommended any restrictions.
Many sports bodies have since lifted their restrictive measures against Russia and Belarus.
