Ukraine invasion: Russian skaters banned from international events; Kamila Valieva and Anna Shcherbakova to miss world championships

International Skating Union says no athletes from Russia or Belarus will be allowed to compete ‘until further notice’

Volleyball’s governing body also strips Russia of hosting men’s world championships in August and September

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Anna Shcherbakova of the Russian Olympic Committee celebrates after winning gold in Beijing. Photo: Reuters

Published: 8:15pm, 1 Mar 2022Updated: 1:14pm, 9 Mar 2022

Russian athletes have been excluded from yet another sport that is extremely popular at home following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russia was banned from competing in international ice skating events on Tuesday, a day after being kicked out of football competitions and hockey – Vladimir Putin’s favourite sport. The decisions follow the International Olympic Committee’s request to keep Russian athletes out of sporting events around the world.

The International Skating Union, the body that runs the sport around the world, said no athletes from Russia or Belarus “shall be invited or allowed to participate” in events until further notice.

“The ISU Council reiterates its solidarity with all those affected by the conflict in Ukraine and our thoughts are with the entire Ukrainian people and country,” the ISU said in a statement. Belarus has been a key ally of Russia in its attack on Ukraine.

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva competes during the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Photo: Reuters

The world figure skating championships are set for later this month in Montpellier, France. The ISU decision means Olympic champion Anna Shcherbakova and 15-year-old teammate Kamila Valieva, who was the focus of a still-unresolved doping dispute at last month’s Winter Olympics, will be excluded from the competition.

Also on Tuesday, the International Volleyball Federation said it had stripped Russia of hosting the men’s world championships in August and September and would seek another host country or countries.