MOSCOW, January 18. /TASS/. /TASS/. Russia will not be able to host any stage of the 2023/2024 ISU (International Skating Union) Figure Skating Grand Prix series due to the current sanctions in force against the global skating organization, the ISU said in a statement on Wednesday.

The decision was made at the ISU Council’s online meeting on January 16 and it was made based upon the organization’s previous sanctions that stated: "Until further notice, no International Competitions shall be held in Russia or Belarus."

According to today’s statement, the ISU Council decided that "no ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event can take place in Russia during the 2023/24 Season," due to previously imposed sanctions.

On March 1, 2022, the International Skating Union announced a decision to provisionally suspend all athletes from Russia and Belarus. The suspension was enforced in regard to figure skating, speed skating and short-track speed skating competitions.

In early June last year, the International Skating Union decided at its Congress to extend the suspension of Russian and Belarusian athletes from all international competitions until further notice.

On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing the special military operation in Ukraine.

Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.