OREANDA-NEWS  Five Russian athletes have received neutral status from the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) and will be able to participate in qualifying tournaments for the 2026 Olympics, Pavel Shabalin, vice president of the Russian Mountaineering Federation and head coach of the national team, told RIA Novosti.

Ski mountaineering includes mountain climbing on skis, downhill skiing and the application of mountaineering skills to overcome difficult areas. This sport is included in the program of the 2026 Games.

"On November 27, five athletes - three men and two women - were issued licenses for the 2024/2025 season to participate in the World Cup and the World Championship, which are qualifying tournaments for the 2026 Olympics. Each athlete personally declared himself. There will be two disciplines at the Olympic Games: sprint and mixed relay. But we still need to qualify," Shabalin said.

Since the beginning of their career, Russian athletes have been banned from international competitions in many sports. According to the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), international tournaments cannot be held in Russia. In the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Russian athletes were allowed to participate only in a neutral status, subject to a number of conditions. A total of 15 Russians were admitted to the 2024 Games.