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President of Russian Luge Federation Natalia Gart reelected for another term

Natalia Gart has been serving as the president of the Russian Luge Federation since 2012

MOSCOW, April 15. /TASS/. Natalia Gart will remain in the post of the president of the Russian Luge Federation (RLF) for the next Olympic cycle after her candidacy was unanimously approved by delegates of the organization's election conference, the RLF press office reported on Wednesday.

The election of the head of the Russian Luge Federation was held on an uncontested basis and took place at the headquarters of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) in Moscow.

Gart has been serving as the president of the Russian Luge Federation since 2012.

In line with the Russian Law on Sports, all national federations of Olympic sports are required to hold election conferences within six months following the Olympic Games. The 2026 Winter Olympic Games took place in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, from February 6-22, 2026.

After the election, Gart said speaking at the federation’s annual conference that the full-fledged return of Russian athletes to international competitions is the most important task for the Russian Luge Federation.

"As for international activities, the main task in this area is to resolve the issue of finding the way out of the situation after the imposed restrictions in 2022," she said. "We also need to minimize the risks of losing Olympic qualifications quota and overcome restrictions on access to tournaments of the International Luge Federation."

Earlier, Gart told TASS that the Congress of the International Luge Federation (FIL) in June would consider the possibility of allowing Russian youth athletes to participate in international tournaments without restrictions. The Congress will be held on June 8-9 in Berchtesgaden (Germany).

FIL’s previous sanctions against Russia

The International Luge Federation barred Russian athletes from competing in its sponsored tournaments since March 2022 after the escalation of the situation in Ukraine. In June 2024, the international federation opted to vote on the extension of sanctions against the Russian athletes.

In July 2025, RLF President Gart announced to TASS that the federation decided to protect the rights of its national luge athletes in court. Sports Minister and President of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) Mikhail Degtyarev stated later on his Telegram channel that he had filed an appeal against the decision of the FIL Congress disputing the Russian athletes’ ban.

In early November 2025, the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld Russia’s appeal against the previously imposed ban by the International Luge Federation and ruled to clear Russian lugers and bobsledders for participation in international tournaments.

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