On a single Thursday, two neighbouring Nordic governments arrived at the same judgment about Russian athletes, drawing a line between sport and the war that has reshaped Europe since 2022. Norway says it will refuse entry to Russian and Belarusian professional competitors and their staff for as long as the fighting in Ukraine continues, following Finland's own visa restrictions. Both governments argue that elite sport in Russia cannot be separated from the state that sponsors it, even as international federations have opened narrow paths for neutral athletes to compete. The question now is whe
Norway Follows Finland in Barring Russian and Belarusian Athletes Over Ukraine War
Russian athletes "have no business in Finland" while the war continues
Mark
Two governments in one day. Is this coordinated?
Mimi
The reporting only says Norway acted hours after Finland. It doesn't say they coordinated, and the two justifications are worded differently.
Luke
Right, so "followed" is sequence, not collaboration. We don't know if they talked.
Mark
What's the core argument each is making?
Mimi
Norway says Russian elite sport is tied to the state and can't be separated from the war. Finland says Russian athletes entering would threaten its international relations.
Mark
And the federations had already cleared neutral athletes.
Mimi
FIS allows Russians and Belarusians with no national symbols and a signed neutrality declaration. Norway's government cites those relaxations as the reason for acting.
Luke
Worth noting that's the government's framing of the federations' decisions. The source doesn't give FIS's reaction.
Mark
What's actually at risk?
Mimi
Trondheim's World Cup in December, and the figure skating worlds in Tampere in March, where Russians are expected to contend for medals.
Luke
"Could be blocked" is the honest phrase for Trondheim. The rules take effect "shortly" in Norway, and we don't have an exact date or any list of affected athletes.
Mark
And the skating union?
Mimi
It's studying implications and seeking clarification, and it says athletes shouldn't be punished for their governments' actions.
Luke
That's a statement of position, not a decision about Tampere. What happens to the event is still unknown.
El Pulso
- Norway's government will order immigration officers and police to turn away Russian and Belarusian professional athletes and their support staff, with the changes set to take effect shortly.
- Finland's foreign minister declared that Russian athletes have no place in the country while Russia's war continues, sending a shock through a winter sports calendar already in motion.
- FIS allowed neutral Russian and Belarusian skiers to compete under strict conditions, and now a signed neutrality declaration may not be enough to clear the border at Trondheim.
- The December cross-country World Cup in Trondheim and the March figure skating worlds in Tampere, where Russian skaters are favoured to medal, now stand exposed to the new bans.
- The International Skating Union is studying the Finnish statement and seeking clarification, insisting that athletes should not be punished for what their governments do.
On a single Thursday, two neighbouring Nordic governments arrived at the same judgment about Russian athletes, drawing a line between sport and the war that has reshaped Europe since 2022. Norway says it will refuse entry to Russian and Belarusian professional competitors and their staff for as long as the fighting in Ukraine continues, following Finland's own visa restrictions. Both governments argue that elite sport in Russia cannot be separated from the state that sponsors it, even as international federations have opened narrow paths for neutral athletes to compete. The question now is whether a border can hold a principle that the sporting bodies have chosen to bend.
On Thursday, within hours of each other, Finland and Norway reached the same conclusion about Russian athletes. Finland said it would block visas for Russian competitors, and Norway followed by declaring it would keep out Russian and Belarusian professional athletes, along with their support staff, for as long as the war in Ukraine continues. Norway's government said the measures would take effect shortly, and argued that Russian elite sport is too closely bound to the Russian state to be viewed independently of the war.
Norway's justice minister, Astri Aas-Hansen, described the step as a tightening of an already restrictive visa practice, aimed at a loophole created by recent relaxations from international sports federations. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation has allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under neutral conditions, without national symbols and with a signed declaration of neutrality. Under the Norwegian rule, even athletes who meet those requirements could be turned away at the border, which puts the December cross-country World Cup in Trondheim in doubt.
In Finland, foreign minister Elina Valtonen said Russian athletes had no business in the country while Russia's war of aggression continued, and that their entry would threaten Finland's international relations. The ban takes effect Monday and covers neutral athletes as well as those representing national teams. It follows public anger over Russia's reinstatement for the ice hockey world championships. The biggest stake is the figure skating world championships in Tampere in March, where Russian skaters are expected to be among the medal favourites.
The International Skating Union said it was studying the Finnish statement and seeking clarification, and maintained that athletes should not be punished for the actions of their governments. The next tests will come in Trondheim in December and Tampere in March, where the principle of the borders will meet the practicalities of the sporting calendar.
Within a few hours on Thursday, two Nordic governments reached the same conclusion about Russian athletes. Finland announced it would block visas for Russian competitors, and Norway then said it would stop Russian and Belarusian professional athletes from coming to compete for as long as the war in Ukraine goes on.
Norway's government said it would instruct immigration authorities and police to refuse entry to Russian and Belarusian professional athletes and their accompanying support staff if they travel to take part in sporting competitions. The changes are to take effect "shortly." The government pointed out that Norway already has strict visa rules for citizens of both countries, but said recent "relaxations introduced by international sports federations" meant more athletes and staff might arrive to compete. It also argued that Russian elite sport has close ties to the Russian authorities and cannot be "viewed independently" from the war.
Astri Aas-Hansen, the minister of justice and public security, framed it as a further step. Norway, she said, already has a restrictive visa practice for Russians and Belarusians, but is now tightening who is allowed to travel there.
The decision has an immediate sporting edge. Norway is preparing to host a cross-country skiing World Cup in Trondheim in December. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) has allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under conditions: no country symbols, and a signed declaration of neutrality. The Norwegian ban means athletes who have met FIS's requirements could still be turned away at the border.
Finland's announcement came earlier in the day. Foreign minister Elina Valtonen said that as long as Russia's war of aggression continues, Russian athletes have no business in Finland, and that their entry would threaten the country's international relations. She said the same applies to other short-term work under visas that is not essential to Finland's national interests. The foreign ministry said the measure covers Russians competing under neutral status as well as those representing national teams. It follows a backlash in Finland over Russia's reinstatement for the ice hockey world championships.
The Finnish rule takes effect Monday, so it should not touch this week's NHL games in Helsinki between the Seattle Kraken and the Carolina Hurricanes, nor the World Cup slalom races in Levi on Saturday and Sunday. Finland does host a figure skating grand prix next week and a cross-country ski World Cup this month, and both sports let Russians compete as neutral athletes. The biggest event at stake is the figure skating world championships in Tampere in March, where Russian skaters are expected to be among the leading medal contenders.
The International Skating Union said it had noted the Finnish statement and was studying the implications, and was seeking clarification from skating officials in Finland. It added that it believes athletes should not be punished for the actions of their governments in a world where many conflicts are ongoing.
Further out, Finland is due to host the European track and field championships in 2030. World Athletics maintains a blanket ban on Russian participation, though that ban faces a legal challenge. Finland is also among the European teams that have vowed not to play Russia at the men's ice hockey world championships, which are scheduled for Germany, where hosting is still under consideration. The next tests are the December World Cup in Trondheim and the March skating worlds in Tampere.
Citas Notables
Norway already has a restrictive visa practice for Russian and Belarusian citizens, but is now further tightening who is allowed to travel here.— Astri Aas-Hansen, Norway's minister of justice and public security
As long as Russia's war of aggression continues, Russian athletes have no business in Finland.— Elina Valtonen, Finland's foreign minister
Quieres la nota completa?
Lee el original en The Guardian ↗