The Ministry of Youth and Sports, the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Figure Skating Federation have appealed to IOC President Kirsten Coventry and International Skating Union President Kim Je-yol to review the status of two Russian athletes included in the list of invitees to the 2026 Winter Olympics.
According to the press service of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the athletes in question are figure skaters Petr Gumennyk and Adelina Petrosyan, whose public activities contradict the criteria for ‘neutral’ status established by the IOC, Ukrinform reports.
The statement emphasises that there is extensive documentation of their participation in events that support Russian aggression against Ukraine or contain elements of military and propaganda symbolism.
In particular, in 2024, Adelia Petrosyan participated in master classes as part of a project by the mayor of Moscow and the Summer in Moscow festival, which openly supports the Russian invasion and raises funds for the Russian military.
Petro Gumennyk has performed in Ilya Averbukh’s shows, known for their propaganda content, including scenes in military uniform. He also has public ties to individuals and organisations that support the war, as well as religious structures that promote the Kremlin’s policies.
‘The facts presented indicate that these athletes do not meet the status of neutrality and cannot be allowed to participate in the Olympic Games,’ the appeal states. Ukrainian institutions are calling on the IOC and ISU to conduct a comprehensive review and decide on their removal from international competitions.
The appeal was signed by Minister of Youth and Sports Matviy Bidny, President of the NOC of Ukraine Vadym Guttsait, and Head of the Ukrainian Figure Skating Federation Danil Amirkhanov.
Information about Russian athletes was collected by the Molfar Intelligence Institute with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.
Source: Ukrinform
