Finland slams the door on Russian athletes over Ukraine war

The measure, which takes effect Monday, covers Russians competing under neutral status as well as those wearing national colours, Finland's foreign ministry said. It lands after a backlash in Finland over Russia being reinstated for the ice hockey world championships. Foreign minister Elina Valtonen didn't mince words: Russian athletes have no business in Finland while the war of aggression continues, and letting them in would threaten Finland's international relations.

The calendar makes the timing brutal. Finland hosts a figure skating grand prix next week and a cross-country ski World Cup this month, and both sports currently allow Russians to compete as neutral athletes. The real prize on the line is the figure skating world championships in Tampere in March, where Russian skaters are expected to be among the top medal contenders.

The International Skating Union said it has noted Finland's statement and is studying the implications, including for its world championships. The federation is also seeking clarifications from Finnish skating officials. Athletes shouldn't be punished for their governments' actions, the ISU said, in a world where many conflicts are sadly ongoing.

Not everything gets caught in the blast radius. This week's NHL games in Helsinki between the Seattle Kraken and Carolina Hurricanes are unaffected, as are the ski World Cup slalom races in Levi on Saturday and Sunday.

Finland is one of a cluster of European teams that have pledged not to play Russia at the ice hockey world championships, now scheduled for Germany, which is weighing whether to host at all. Looking further ahead, Finland is due to stage the European track and field championships in 2030, a sport where World Athletics keeps a blanket ban on Russian participation, itself facing a legal challenge.