CAS press release on the case of the Russian Luge Federation and athletes v. FIL

Lausanne, October 31, 2025 – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has issued two decisions regarding the participation of Russian athletes in the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan/Cortina (OWG 2026). An appeal by the Russian Luge Federation (RLF) and six Russian athletes against the International Luge Federation (FIL) was partially upheld but with the athletes’ joint appeal dismissed.

The first case is an appeal by the RLF and six Russian athletes (Aleksandr Gorbatsevich, Sofiia Mazur, Andrei Bogdanov, Iurii Prokhorov, Ekaterina Fomina, and Polina Grigore) against the FIL. At its 73rd Congress on June 18, 2025, the FIL decided to extend its decision to suspend the participation of RLF athletes, coaches, and officials in FIL competitions, citing risks to the safety of the competitions. It also decided not to implement a program that would have allowed Russian athletes to participate under the status of “Individual Neutral Athlete” (AIN). The appeal, filed on July 8, 2025, sought to overturn both decisions and request the immediate participation of the athletes in FIL international events, including the qualification process for the 2026 OWG.

A virtual hearing was held on Friday, October 24, 2025. The CAS panel heard the FIL's argument that the participation of Russian athletes would increase the risk of incidents by the audience or other athletes and that their exclusion was not intended as a sanction based on their nationality. The panel found that the complete exclusion of Russian athletes was not a proportionate measure to achieve the FIL's sole objective (i.e., ensuring safe racing conditions), as additional measures could be found to reconcile safety with the participation of Russian athletes. The panel decided that the exclusion of RLF athletes from FIL competitions would be upheld, but that the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes who meet the AINs criteria from participating in competitions would be lifted. Consequently, the appeal was upheld in part. The six athletes' request for immediate participation in international events was denied.

These are unofficial summaries for media use. Both decisions were issued without grounds, which will follow in due course. Unless Parties request confidentiality, the awards will be published on the CAS website.

For further information on the activities and procedures of the CAS, please contact Matthieu Reeb, Director General of the CAS, or Vanessa Tracey, Communications Officer. Palais de Beaulieu, av. Bergières 10, 1004 Lausanne, Switzerland. www.tas-cas.org media@tas-cas.org