FIAS allowed Russians and Belarusians to compete under national flags from January 1, 2026
The International Sambo Federation (FIAS) has opened the possibility for athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags and with their national anthems at FIAS competitions starting 1 January 2026, following decisions by its executive committee.
By Oleg Bazylewicz
December 5, 2025 · 1 min read
The International Sambo Federation (FIAS) has decided to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags and with national anthems at international tournaments sanctioned by the organization, effective January 1, 2026.
FIAS decision and timeline
The federation’s governing bodies reviewed the matter at Executive Committee meetings held on October 3 and December 4, 2025. At the initial stage, participation under national symbols was approved for youth and junior events, and the rule was later extended to all age categories.
According to the resolution, the permission will apply to all international competitions under the aegis of FIAS starting from the specified date. The decision was justified by principles of sporting neutrality and equal treatment of national federations.
Reaction and Ukraine’s appeal
The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Federation of Skating Sports have sent appeals to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Skating Union (ISU) requesting a review of the admission of certain Russian figure skaters to international competitions, including the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. The appeal named Petro Humennyk and Adeliia Petrosyan as athletes whose participation the relevant bodies were asked to assess.
The Federation stressed that the adoption of this decision was made with regard to its internal principles and a desire to maintain the unity of the sambo community despite the difficult international situation.
