IBU finally extends ban: Russian and Belarusian biathletes to miss the entire 2026/27 season

The International Biathlon Union (IBU) has made a final decision not to restore the rights of the national federations of Russia and Belarus. Athletes from both countries will remain excluded from international competitions throughout the 2026/27 season in any status — including competing under a neutral flag. This was reported by the publication Sport RBC.UA, citing the press service of the Ukrainian Biathlon Federation. The corresponding decision was adopted at the 17th IBU Congress, which is being held from September 17 to 20 in Berchtesgaden, Germany; the vote on the future of the representatives of the Russian Federation and Belarus took place on Friday, September 18.

Strict criteria and why they were not met

To return to international starts, the IBU established clear and stringent conditions: a complete renunciation of support for the armed conflict against Ukraine, as well as the absence of any links between athletes and officials and the armed forces or security structures of the aggressor states. In June of this year, the Biathlon Union of Russia sent a package of documents to the IBU, claiming full compliance with the aforementioned requirements. However, the Executive Board of the international organization conducted a detailed review of the report and found that the criteria were not met. Thus, no formal basis for restoring the rights of the federations arose.

Contradictory data

Several inconsistencies have been recorded in open sources, which are important to take into account when assessing the situation. First, it was previously assumed that the question of admitting Russian and Belarusian biathletes would not even be put to the Congress for discussion — nevertheless, the vote took place. Second, at the IBU Cup stage (a separate series of competitions under the IBU umbrella, not the World Cup), Russian athletes, in particular Volkov and Rezvtsova, previously competed and even won medals, which created the impression of partial admission. Meanwhile, the 2026 Congress decision applies to the 2026/27 World Cup season and confirms a full ban on participation in the main events. Third, the sports press is actively discussing a possible change of leadership at the IBU: former world biathlon champion Emil Hegle Svendsen and, in particular, legendary Ole-Einar Bjørndalen have stated that they had received requests to head the organization, and some publications (sports.ru) directly link the potential arrival of Bjørndalen to power at the IBU with the prospect of Russia's return. These statements have not yet been confirmed by Congress decisions and do not cancel the vote adopted on September 18.

Consequences for preparation and the 2026/27 season

The adopted decision means that Russian and Belarusian biathletes will completely miss the preparation for the 2026/27 cup season and will not be admitted to the start of any World Cup stage. This affects both current leaders and young athletes, for whom international competitions are a key element of the rating system and selection for major tournaments. For the other participants in the calendar, the decision removes uncertainty: the national federations of the 28 IBU member countries receive a guaranteed lineup of participants without the risk of a regulation change mid-season.

Reaction in the Ukrainian and international sports community

In Ukraine, the IBU decision was met with approval: the Ukrainian Biathlon Federation, whose press service became the original source of the information, emphasizes that extending the ban is consistent with the position of the aggressor state that has not renounced military actions. In a broader context, the topic of the return of Russians to international sport remains one of the most debated in world sports. Earlier, former world judo champion Georgy Zantaria publicly and harshly criticized any initiatives to restore the rights of Russian athletes, calling them unacceptable against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict. Thus, the IBU decision of September 18, 2026, consolidates the status quo: the 2026/27 season will be held without the participation of biathletes from Russia and Belarus in any format.