For nearly four years since the last Winter Olympics, the starting gates felt impossibly far away for Russian skiers. Every new season opened without them, and every World Cup race passed by with empty lanes where familiar names once stood. And their careers did not end with an injury or a slow decline; they were paused by the ban on Russian participation that followed the Russo-Ukrainian War of 2022.

But this week, that long wait has ended for some. Three Russian skiers have been cleared to re-enter international competition, giving them a narrow but real chance to qualify for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics on February 6th.

But they will not represent Russia. The ban hasn’t been fully lifted; rather, Russian athletes who meet the IOC’s standard for neutrality can compete as ind

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