MOSCOW, April 6. /TASS/. The International Skating Union (ISU) will decide on the participation of Russian athletes in international tournaments either in June or October, the ISU press office announced to TASS in a statement on Thursday.

"ISU closely monitors the situation in Ukraine and its impact on the ISU activity as well as the discussions within the Olympic Movement," the statement reads.

"The ISU has noted the statement of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) following its meeting of March 28, 2023 with its recommendations for International Federations on the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarussian passport in international competitions."

"As the Ice Skating season is already coming to an end, the ISU Council will discuss the matter during its next meeting either in June or October," the statement from the ISU added.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended on March 28 that international federations allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral status, while they would not be able to take part in team events. Athletes also should not be supporters of the special military operation or be affiliated with the armed forces or national security agencies.

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

The press office of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) stated in its official statement late last month that it would hold hearings on May 2 on the appeal against the suspension of Russian athletes from events authorized by the International Skating Union (ISU).

IOC’s ban on Russia’s international participation

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 Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.

Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February 2022, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.