The International Skating Union (ISU) congress, which guides figure skating, speed skating, short track and synchronized skating, began its proceedings in Phuket, Thailand, where delegates gathered to review broad governance and competition issues.
Before votes were cast, a member of the Ukrainian delegation spoke to the audience, stressing that events unfolding in Ukraine should not be ignored. The speaker also noted that some Russian athletes participate in events that have political overtones.
The Ukrainian delegation put forward three proposals: first, to exclude Russia and Belarus from the congress; second, to strip Russians and Belarusians of the right to stand for ISU governing positions; third, to remove Russians and Belarusians who already hold ISU posts. For any of these measures to pass, a two-thirds majority of the 116 delegates would be required.
Sergei Sviridov, a member of the board of the Russian Figure Skating Federation, replied that the Russian side came to discuss sport, not politics. He added that Russia bears no responsibility for geopolitical conflicts and that the human toll of war weighs heavily on people everywhere. He emphasized that athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus are not to blame for events in the modern world, and he expressed regret over the suffering caused by those events — a sentiment he attributed to humanity’s shared pain. This sentiment was reported by Sport-Express. — Sport-Express
The Belarusian delegation reminded attendees that it is not a party to the conflict and noted its role in organizing numerous international events, underscoring the broader context of sporting diplomacy.
The opening discussion centered on the participation of Russia and Belarus in the congress. The vote results showed 48 in favor of expulsion, 55 against, and 13 abstentions, yielding 41.4 percent support for the measure, well short of the requested two-thirds threshold (66.7 percent).
Regarding the exclusion of Russians and Belarusians from ISU governing bodies, support stood at 39.7 percent. A tally of 60 votes in favor of dismissing current Russian and Belarusian representatives fell short of the necessary majority to fulfill the Ukrainian position, as 116 delegates participated.
On the first day, Russia managed to retain its standing within the ISU system. However, anticipation rose for June 7, when the issue of admitting Russian skaters to international starts for the 2022/23 season would be revisited. The path forward remained fraught with complexity, as discussions on competition eligibility for Russian athletes were set to continue. Sport-focused outlets suggested limited chances of reinstatement for Russian participants, while some former skaters voiced cautious optimism about a possible return to international competition in the near term. — Sport-Express and interview reports
Amid the governance debates, there was positive news on the anti-doping front. The ISU reported that all doping cases involving Russian athletes had been closed based on data from the Moscow Anti-Doping Laboratory. Of several cases, one was forwarded to the Russian Anti-Doping Agency for testing. The ISU noted that the athlete in the latter case was found to have violated the rules and faced sanction, with the federation participating in the process. These updates were attributed to ISU communications and related coverage. — ISU updates and coverage