GENEVA, September 10. /TASS/. The International Skating Union (ISU) has once again declined to grant the neutral-status participation in international tournaments to Russian figure skaters in ice dance Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin, the ISU’s press office announced on Thursday.
On September 5, TASS reported that Stepanova and Bukin had filed an appeal against ISU’s refusal to grant them neutral status, which is required for competing in international tournaments.
Stepanova, 31, and Bukin, 32, are the five-time Russian champions as well as two-time silver and three-time bronze medalists of the European championships in figure skating ice dance.
Participation of Russian figure skaters in international competitions
In March 2022, the ISU suspended Russian and Belarusian athletes from all international tournaments supervised by the organization due to the developments in Ukraine.
At the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, the ISU allowed two Russian figure skaters to participate under a neutral status - Adelia Petrosyan and Petr Gumennik.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced a decision in July to reinstate the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and also recommended lifting restrictions on the participation of Russian athletes in all international tournaments, including both in individual and team competitions.
Starting from the 2026/27 season, the International Skating Union allowed Russian figure skaters to participate in international competitions in a neutral status.
