SLIPPERY SLOPE

Russia Running Out of Sports After Ice Skating Bans Athletes Over Ukraine Invasion

Ice skating is the latest sports federation to ban Russian athletes over Vladimir Putin’s invasion.

Russian athletes are in line for a pretty uneventful 2022. A day after Russia was banned from taking part in international soccer and hockey competitions after the invasion of Ukraine, the International Skating Union has joined in. In a statement reported by the Associated Press, the ISU said no ice skaters from Russia or Belarus “shall be invited or allowed to participate” in international events until further notice. “The ISU Council reiterates its solidarity with all those affected by the conflict in Ukraine and our thoughts are with the entire Ukrainian people and country,” it said. The ruling means Olympic champ Anna Shcherbakova and 15-year-old teammate Kamila Valieva—who shot to notoriety last month after a doping dispute at the Winter Olympics—won’t be able to take part in the world figure skating championships in France later this month.