ISU Neutrality Policy Expands While Key Russian Applications Face Denials

The ISU denied Individual Neutral Athlete eligibility for 2026-27 to Kamila Valieva, Mark Kondratiuk, and Alexandra Stepanova/Ivan Bukin, while approving 13 other Russian skaters. Belarusian skaters have begun returning under the neutral framework, but ranking effects, limited championship quotas, unpublished reasoning, appeals, and possible legal action remain unresolved; Russian national-championship expectations are rising.