Putin's protection did not help – figure skater suspended from ISU tournaments

The International Skating Union (ISU) has officially blocked Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva and three other athletes from participating in international competitions under neutral status for the 2026–2027 season. The reason is service in security forces, participation in hostilities, or public support for the war against Ukraine. Valieva previously received a four-year doping ban but enjoyed personal support from Putin.

The International Skating Union (ISU) has officially blocked Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva and three other athletes — Mark Kondratyuk, Alexandra Stepanova, and Ivan Bukin — from participating in international competitions under neutral status (AIN) for the 2026–2027 season. The decision is based on ISU regulations that deny neutral status to individuals serving in the armed forces or security agencies of Russia and Belarus, as well as those who participated in hostilities after February 2022 or publicly supported the war against Ukraine. Valieva gained widespread notoriety after the doping scandal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, which led to a four-year disqualification. Despite this, Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly expressed support for her, awarded her the Order of Friendship, and personally congratulated her on her 16th birthday. Additional attention is drawn to the biography of the skater's family: her father is a colonel in the Russian Armed Forces. Valieva herself has been placed under Ukrainian sanctions for supporting Russian aggression. The ISU reserves the athletes' right to appeal.