The International Luge Federation has revoked the participation rights of three Russian athletes set to compete in Lake Placid, N.Y., aiming to progress towards qualifying for the Milan-Cortina Olympics. The decision was made by the federation’s executive board following the presentation of “new evidence,” which led to the removal of Alexsandr Gorbatsevich, Sofiia Mazur, and Kseniia Shamova from the list of eligible sliders. The International Olympic Committee was involved in the discussions regarding this matter.
While the exact nature of the evidence was not disclosed by FIL officials, a source familiar with the situation indicated that it raised concerns about the neutrality of the three athletes concerning Russia’s actions in Ukraine in 2022. The issue of neutrality is crucial in determining the eligibility of Russian athletes for Olympic qualification. Several sports federations are considering allowing Russian athletes to compete only after undergoing an independent review process to ensure they have not publicly supported the conflict and have no ties to Russia’s military or related entities.
Despite the exclusion of Gorbatsevich, Mazur, and Shamova, Russian sliders Matvei Perestoronin, Pavel Repilov, and Daria Olesik are still slated to participate in the upcoming competition in Lake Placid. The trio engaged in official training on Tuesday and are expected to continue their preparations on Wednesday, with a Nations Cup race scheduled for Thursday. The Nations Cup serves as a qualifying event for athletes not guaranteed a spot in the World Cup field.
Following Russia’s absence from World Cup luge races since January 2022 in response to the conflict in Ukraine, the FIL and other sports governing bodies have been closely monitoring the participation of Russian athletes in international competitions. The IOC has advocated for Russian athletes in various sports to compete neutrally at the Milan Cortina Games. Luge, initially reluctant to allow Russian participation, has revised its stance after appeals from athletes.
While Ukrainian athletes have expressed discomfort with the prospect of Russians competing, they commenced their training session at the Mount Van Hoevenberg track in Lake Placid alongside other participants. Challenges may arise for Russian athletes attempting to enter the last two qualifying luge races in Latvia and Germany due to visa complications. Despite facing visa issues, the Russians obtained entry visas for races in the U.S., enabling their participation in events in Utah and Lake Placid.
Separately, the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation declared nine Russian athletes eligible for its races this season. However, none of these athletes are registered for the upcoming World Cup skeleton races in Latvia.