The International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) announced that Russian athletes will continue to be banned from all bobsled and skeleton events. This includes the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games.

While some sports have allowed Russian athletes to compete with various restrictions as Individual Neutral Athletes, the international governing body which oversees the sports of bobsled and skeleton has elected to follow in the tracks of the International Luge Federation (FIL) with the ruling. 

The decision was made by a vote at the 2025 IBSF Congress in Cortina d'Ampezzo, the future site of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

“Following extensive discussions, the Congress decided by secret ballot not to allow the participation of Russian athletes as neutral athletes in IBSF events,” the IBSF said in a release.

"I agree with and support the IBSF's decision," said five-time Olympic medalist, U.S. bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor. "Sport should be used to promote peace and fair play, and we need to stand firm against those that don't support those values."

Russian athletes have not competed in bobsled or skeleton events since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, four days after the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games came to a close. At those Games, Russian athletes did not compete under the Russian flag, but under that of the Russian Olympic Committee – a condition of the sanctions placed on Russia following the scandal of state-sponsored doping in 2014.

While it is possible that Russia may appeal, it is unclear whether they would be able to do so in time for the first World Cup event, held in Cortina d’Ampezzo in November.