LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Three figure skaters from Russia and Belarus, including an Olympic gold medal prospect, were approved Thursday by the IOC to compete as neutrals at the Milan Cortina Winter Games in February.

They include 18-year-old Adeliia Petrosian, who showed medal potential in the women’s singles event when winning an Olympic qualifying event in Beijing in September.

Petr Gumennik, the Russian singles champion, won the men’s event in Bejing two months ago and Viktoriia Safonova of Belarus was fourth behind Petrosian. They also got approved neutral status, the International Olympic Committee said.

The Beijing qualifying event was the first time Russians were allowed by the International Skating Union to compete at one of its figure skating events since the full militar

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