2026 Milano-Cortina Olympics - Figure Skating Qualification

[ajingmarg]

Yes, they cannot send any skaters in who do not meet the AIN criteria. There is no way that Mishina/Galliamov or Kondratiuk will pass any external review of their social media posts since the start of the war. I can't recall if Stepanova/Bukin were at any pro-war rallies or expressed any overt support for the war.

Boikova/Kozlovskii are clear, as far as I can recall they pretty much refrained from ANY support of the war at all. Petrosian probably would also be fine seeing as she's younger, but if she posted anything a few years ago, just because that was the thing everyone around her was doing, she may be in trouble.

Additionally, any skaters who train at Russian Army-affiliated sports schools are going to be out.

BK may be third today after the free skate. Need to wait and see

 

[Karen-W]

BK may be third today after the free skate. Need to wait and see

LMAO. Sorry, but there is no way that BoiKoz aren't given the nod for this over any other team not named MishGal (who aren't going to be selected because the internet never forgets his support of the war).

 

[Theatregirl1122]

LMAO. Sorry, but there is no way that BoiKoz aren't given the nod for this over any other team not named MishGal (who aren't going to be selected because the internet never forgets his support of the war).

If this provision is serious at least. Some of the “neutral” athletes who have been allowed to compete in other sports have been a joke from what I understand.

 

[Karen-W]

If this provision is serious at least. Some of the “neutral” athletes who have been allowed to compete in other sports have been a joke from what I understand.

Perhaps, but I expect FS fans to really make a public stink the ISU won't care for in any way if they aren't serious about the neutrality of the athletes allowed to compete.

 

[ChelleC]

If this provision is serious at least. Some of the “neutral” athletes who have been allowed to compete in other sports have been a joke from what I understand.

Hopefully the ISU will be as strict as FIG was for the Summer games. There were no Russian athletes able to qualify for any of the gymnastics events, and the Belarussians only qualified for trampoline.

Honestly, it might be easier for Belarus to qualify provided they still have skaters who would be able to compete.

 

[On My Own]

Oh good. How wonderful. I really missed this.

 

[ajingmarg]

LMAO. Sorry, but there is no way that BoiKoz aren't given the nod for this over any other team not named MishGal (who aren't going to be selected because the internet never forgets his support of the war).

And BK are under guidance of Eteri's team. So they are connected with the doping team

 

[Karen-W]

And BK are under guidance of Eteri's team. So they are connected with the doping team

Right. I'm not sure how the ISU's external auditor would view that situation. It's not as if they've banned Eteri from coaching Egadze...

 

[On My Own]

Yes it sucks being stuck between a dope and a war place.

 

[Karen-W]

Yes it sucks being stuck between a dope and a war place.

This may be the Perm-based skaters' time to rise, lol.

 

[Debbie S]

The cynic in me thinks that all that Step/Bukin, Kondratiuk, and any others would need to do is claim they've seen the error of their ways and no longer support the war to be cleared to compete.

Skating, esp Women, has been so much fun to watch the past couple of seasons, sigh...

 

[Rukia]

terrible decision hate everything about it

 

[PRlady]

The cynic in me thinks that all that Step/Bukin, Kondratiuk, and any others would need to do is claim they've seen the error of their ways and no longer support the war to be cleared to compete.

Skating, esp Women, has been so much fun to watch the past couple of seasons, sigh...

From what I’ve seen of Petrosian, another Eteri clone with quads and random choreo. Here’s hoping the judging criteria have evolved past that.

I never minded Step/Buk; he’s cute and she can dance but they won’t medal.

 

[coppertop1]

Russia hasn't completed internationally since Beijing. They're starting from zero. They might not be as dominant. Their chances at a medal would be in pairs and women. They're not really a factor in men, not sure about Ice Dance

 

[Theatregirl1122]

I very much hope that the change in judging ladies skating since the Russians left that has favored skaters with better technique, presentation, and maturity will not go by the wayside once the Russians reappear to chuck ugly quads and lift their legs at random times for no reason.

 

[farahfan]

I very much hope that the change in judging ladies skating since the Russians left that has favored skaters with better technique, presentation, and maturity will not go by the wayside once the Russians reappear to chuck ugly quads and lift their legs at random times for no reason.

I wonder if this whole thing will be more of a test for the ISU judges than the Russians.

 

[On My Own]

Has the judging really changed? Seemed to me Sakamoto was always "fourth in line" behind whichever three Russian girls would appear at worlds/olympics, and she went to being "first in line" straight afterwards. She has better technique overall no doubt, but it seems the same old reputation-based stuff.

Levito's technique and choreography being rewarded also puts a hole in that narrative of how the judging has become better. If Aoki were getting much higher PCS than most others, if not all, then I'd at least see where people were coming from, but it seems to be the same old everywhere.

 

[Firedancer]

I hate everything about this decision. Skating has been so much better to watch the last few years, especially ladies. I really hoped they are judged appropriately but I am not confident. And I will never look at a Russian athlete and not think they are doping.

 

[Wyliefan]

IF -- big if -- the ISU sticks to the rules, it could be entertaining to watch Russia scrambling to find skaters who meet the criteria. That's the only good thing about this mess.

 

[farahfan]

I hate everything about this decision. Skating has been so much better to watch the last few years, especially ladies. I really hoped they are judged appropriately but I am not confident. And I will never look at a Russian athlete and not think they are doping.

I can't help but feel that Russian athletes winning medals at the Olympics will be terrible PR for figure skating in general. No Western media will want to do a news piece on the Olympic medals of Russian skaters except in a negative light.
I understand neutral status for an athlete in exile without a country through no fault of their own, but not for a state-supported skater still living and training in Russia.

 

[Karen-W]

TSL tweeted the following - good time to ask questions, even if Maya doesn't have all the answers...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1870129951267025060

 

[PRlady]

IF -- big if -- the ISU sticks to the rules, it could be entertaining to watch Russia scrambling to find skaters who meet the criteria. That's the only good thing about this mess.

The funny thing is, does a skater want to be publicly designated as a wuss who didn’t support Putin and the war? Kind of a damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

But Mish/Gal and Kon will be watching on TV, they were among the top “patriots.” Tut and Scher could qualify politically but they’re not in the running.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

But Mish/Gal and Kon will be watching on TV, they were among the top “patriots.” Tut and Scher could qualify politically but they’re not in the running.

I certainly hope that is how it goes. I am not confident.

 

[tony]

The funny thing is, does a skater want to be publicly designated as a wuss who didn’t support Putin and the war? Kind of a damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

That's exactly where I don't understand how this is going to work out. At all. Russian politics obviously has a tie to sports, and you really think Putin is going to rah rah someone into the Olympics who has said nothing or has maybe given hints of speaking out against him?

 

[Sylvia]

GSD thread for this contentious topic:

Russian Skaters Allowed to Compete as Neutrals (AIN) to Qualify for 2026 Winter Olympics

AFP article (Dec. 20, 2024): https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/12/20/russian-skaters-allowed-to-compete-as-neutrals-in-2026-winter-olympics-a87417 Only one neutral athlete, including one pair in pairs skating and one couple in ice dancing, from Russia and its ally Belarus will be eligible to...

www.fsuniverse.net

 

[Karen-W]

But Mish/Gal and Kon will be watching on TV, they were among the top “patriots.” Tut and Scher could qualify politically but they’re not in the running.

The RFSF would be smart to nominate someone like Tukt for the women. She is a known quantity internationally and was the 1st alternate in 2022 and should have been on the team if they'd removed Valieva as soon as they received the positive doping result & replaced her. She's also been as neutral as one can be in Russia these days. Not sure she'd be competitive for a medal, but she'd probably be the most acceptable choice for most fans.

 

[BrightSkates]

The RFSF would be smart to nominate someone like Tukt for the women. She is a known quantity internationally and was the 1st alternate in 2022 and should have been on the team if they'd removed Valieva as soon as they received the positive doping result & replaced her. She's also been as neutral as one can be in Russia these days. Not sure she'd be competitive for a medal, but she'd probably be the most acceptable choice for most fans.

She also deserves it the most. I was always sad that she never went to the Olympics even though she was such a trailblazer for many years and never went all because of those tiny baby dopers.

 

[ChelleC]

What pairs are currently coached by Moskvina, besides M/G? What men are coached by Mishin?

 

[caseyedwards]

The RFSF would be smart to nominate someone like Tukt for the women. She is a known quantity internationally and was the 1st alternate in 2022 and should have been on the team if they'd removed Valieva as soon as they received the positive doping result & replaced her. She's also been as neutral as one can be in Russia these days. Not sure she'd be competitive for a medal, but she'd probably be the most acceptable choice for most fans.

False. All public appearances will be checked to see if there was pro war or even military presence. That rules tuktamisheva out completely. Because she was in a Z rally.

She was also at Russian nationals December 2022. Major pro war event. No one at Russian nationals 2022 can qualify according to ISU press release rules.

Many of the companies on the boards this year are sanctioned for support of Ukraine war and Putin!!!!!!

So with all the companies advertising at this years Russian nationals at least one of which is under sanctions- it can be argued by isu that all Russian skaters should check the sponsors to see if they are putting their face in front of a company that supports the war!!!

 

[Vagabond]

The funny thing is, does a skater want to be publicly designated as a wuss who didn’t support Putin and the war? Kind of a damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

As mentioned upthread, the Russians who competed in Paris this year were not typical Russian Olympic athletes.

There was a Russian swimmer from the San Francisco Bay Area who competed at the Olympics this year who hadn't lived or even been back to Russia for many years. As I recall, he didn’t get very far in the qualication heats.