Svahn on Olympic boycott threat: “Now the decision has been made”

Swedish cross-country skiing star Linn Svahn confirms she will not boycott the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, even though Russian skiers have been cleared to return under a neutral flag.

Earlier in the autumn, Svahn told both Norway’s TV2 and Sweden’s Expressen that she could consider a boycott if Russian athletes were on the Olympic start list. Since then, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned a decision by the International Ski Federation (FIS) that would have kept Russian athletes out. Svahn says she stands by her earlier stance and reiterates that she believes FIS should have shut the door, which it initially did in the autumn.

“Then CAS tore up the decision FIS took—so you know what I think about that,” Svahn says. “Now the decision has been made by CAS and I will just do my best to be good, to be at the Olympics, and to be strong.”

The article also summarizes the International Olympic Committee’s requirements for Russian and Belarusian athletes to take part as neutrals at Milan–Cortina 2026:

• Athletes who actively support the war against Ukraine are not allowed to participate.
• Athletes under contract with the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies are not allowed to participate.
• All anti-doping requirements in the lead-up to and during Milan–Cortina 2026 must be fulfilled.

Russian and Belarusian skiers have been excluded from international competition since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but can now return under strict neutrality conditions following the CAS ruling.