FIS mentioned Russian athletes in the announcement of the upcoming World Cup season

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) mentioned Russian athletes in the announcement of the new World Cup season. This is evidenced on October 20 by a corresponding publication on the Instagram social network (owned by Meta, recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation and banned).

"Who is your favorite?" reads the caption to the video, which captures the highlights of the past competitions.

The publication notes the accounts of Russian three-time Olympic champion Alexander Bolshunov and two-time bronze medalist Alexander Terentyev. They are also present in the video.

Access lane: Russian skiers get a new chance to return to the KM

The FIS has relaxed the criteria for neutral status, but retained a number of serious restrictions.

On October 14, FIS granted neutral status to five Russian athletes for the 2026/27 season. This list includes Alina Pekletsova, Ekaterina Nikitina, Ekaterina Shibekina, Dmitry Puzanov and Andrey Sakharov. In addition, FIS has determined the number of quotas for Russian athletes for Cup races — 12 each in men's and women's competitions.