Ukraine war: Estonia bars Russian, Belarusian athletes

Estonia has joined Norway, Finland and Canada in refusing to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete within its borders, following the conflict in Ukraine. This decision comes after some governing bodies relaxed restrictions for Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international sporting events. The Estonian government has expressed concerns that allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete within Estonia would undermine support for Ukraine and provide a platform for Russian propaganda.

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) had recently relaxed its eligibility rules, allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes, as long as they sign a declaration of neutrality and do not display national symbols. Nonetheless, the host country's visa and entry policies are determined solely by the host country, according to the FIS.

Norway and Finland have also imposed visa restrictions on Russian athletes due to the ongoing war. The International Skating Union, however, maintains that athletes should not be held responsible for political decisions made by their governments and is seeking clarification from Finnish authorities. Canada has also stated that it will not issue visas to Russian players for the World Junior Championship, as long as the war continues.