University sports body reinstates Belarusian athletes, eases restrictions on Russians
May 26 : The International University Sports Federation (FISU) said on Tuesday it was fully reinstating athletes from Belarus and easing restrictions on Russian competitors kept out of events due to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The Federation, in a statement on its website, said it was acting in line with policy adopted by the International Olympic Committee and international federations governing individual sports. Several sports federations have adopted similar stands.
"The International University Sports Federation Executive Committee has decided today to reinstate student-athletes with a Belarusian passport at all its events with immediate effect, in line with the IOC’s 7 May 2026 recommendations," it said.
It described the position of Russian competitors as "more complex" - as the IOC had not lifted restrictions on senior athletes - and introduced "a uniform eligibility framework".
That meant that the neutral status imposed by some federations on athletes would be "the maximum restriction applicable at any FISU event". In those sports where federations had reinstated Russian athletes, it would do the same.
"Russian student-athletes may therefore, depending on the sport and the applicable IF position, be eligible to participate at FISU events under full national conditions," the FISU said.
Mikhail Degtyarev, Russian sports minister and head of the national committee, congratulated Belarusian athletes and wrote on Telegram: "FISU is continuing consistently to ease conditions for students from Russia. We welcome this."
The IOC had recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials be banned from events since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Belarus was used as a staging ground for the invasion.
A small number of vetted athletes were permitted to take part in the Cortina Winter Games as neutrals, but the International Paralympic Committee lifted all restrictions for its events.
In recent weeks, international federations for aquatics, gymnastics, wrestling and modern pentathlon have eased restrictions on athletes from one or both of the countries.
The FISU organises the World University Games - sometimes called the Universiade - every two years in which thousands of young athletes compete.
