GENEVA, December 19. /TASS/. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has extended an official invitation to Russia’s ski mountaineer Nikita Filippov to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, the IOC press office announced on Friday.

Fillipov is now Russia’s third officially approved athlete to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy, joining figure skaters Adelia Petrosyan and Pyotr Gumennik.

Russian speed skaters and short track speed skaters also still have a chance to qualify for the Winter Games.