Skiers and snowboarders can apply for special invitations outside the standard qualification rules, Pavel Rozhkov, the Russian Paralympic Committee head, has said

Russian skiers and snowboarders have been allowed to compete in the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games, Pavel Rozhkov, the head of the country's Paralympic Committee (RPC), announced on Tuesday.

In an interview with TASS, Rozhkov, citing a notice from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), said the athletes can now apply for special invitations outside the standard qualification rules. Rozhkov explained that the RPC successfully challenged its suspension from Paralympic events at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from most international competitions, including the Olympics and Paralympics. The International Olympic Committee later permitted some to compete individually under neutral flags, including at the 2026 Winter Olympics, though national teams are still banned.

Last autumn, the IPC fully reinstated Russian and Belarusian participation - including allowing athletes to compete under the Russian flag and anthem - but said few athletes were likely to qualify for this year's events, as most federations, including the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), still barred them. Russia appealed the FIS ban last month.

"The situation has changed," Rozhkov said. "The IPC has informed the RPC and all member organizations that, under general conditions, the RPC can apply for bipartite invitations in cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, and snowboarding."

Bipartite Commission Invitations are used by the IPC to include athletes who may not have qualified through standard routes, such as quota places allocated following qualifiers. Rozhkov said the RPC plans to submit applications for these invitations by February 13.

Moscow has accused Western nations of pressuring federations to ban Russian athletes for political reasons, criticizing international sports bodies for "politicizing" sports. Last year, President Vladimir Putin said athletes should have equal access based on merit, stressing that "politics has no place in sport."

Despite the restrictions, Russian athletes, including para-athletes, have continued to excel. The Russian para team recently claimed eight medals at the Para Cross-Country World Cup in Finsterau, Germany, and six medals at the Para Alpine World Cup in Austria.

The 2026 Winter Paralympic Games will be held in Italy March 6-15.

(RT.com)