On Thursday, the International Olympic Committee granted approval for three figure skaters from Russia and Belarus, including a hopeful for Olympic gold, to participate as neutrals in the Milan-Cortina Winter Games scheduled for February.
Among those approved is 18-year-old Adeliia Petrosian, who demonstrated her potential for a medal in the women’s singles event by winning an Olympic qualifying competition in Beijing last September.
Petr Gumennik, the Russian champion in singles, emerged victorious in the men’s event in Beijing two months ago, while Viktoriia Safonova from Belarus finished fourth, just behind Petrosian. The IOC confirmed their neutral status as well.
This qualifying event in Beijing marked the first occasion since the onset of the full military invasion of Ukraine in 2022 that Russian athletes were permitted to partake in an International Skating Union figure skating event, which occurred shortly after the conclusion of the Beijing Olympics.
The IOC is conducting its own assessment to validate the eligibility of Russian and Belarusian athletes for neutral participation at Milan Cortina, similar to the procedures in place for the upcoming 2024 Paris Summer Games.
To qualify, athletes must not have shown active support for the invasion of Ukraine and must lack connections to Russian or Belarusian military and state security organizations.
Additionally, the figure skaters are required to accept their individual invitations and commit to upholding the Olympic Charter, according to the IOC.
Petrosian is the latest prominent skater trained by coach Eteri Tutberidze, who has been a polarizing figure during the Beijing Olympics.
Learn more about what actually went into designing the medals for the Winter Games starting next February.
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