Norway has announced plans to deny Russian and Belarusian professional athletes and their support staff entry into the country if they attempt to participate in sporting competitions hosted on Norwegian soil.

The Norwegian government announced the decision on Thursday, November 12, 2026, citing Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and Belarus’ support for Moscow’s military campaign.

The measure, which the government said would take effect shortly, could affect the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in several international winter sports competitions scheduled to take place in Norway.

One of the events potentially affected is the ski jumping World Cup opener scheduled for November 20 to 22 in Lillehammer.

According to the Norwegian government, the decision followed moves by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and some international sports federations to gradually restore Russian participation in international competitions after restrictions were imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“Russian elite sports have close ties to Russian authorities and state structures. The government therefore believes that Russian participation in international sports cannot be seen independently of Russia’s continued war of aggression against Ukraine,” the government said in a statement.

It also accused Belarus of supporting and facilitating Russia’s military operations.

The decision highlights growing disagreements between national governments and international sporting organisations over the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in global competitions.

While some international federations have relaxed restrictions, several countries have maintained their opposition, arguing that sporting participation cannot be separated from the political and security implications of the war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin last week criticised countries opposing decisions to allow Russian athletes to compete, including in ice hockey.

Putin argued that such restrictions violated the rights of athletes and democratic institutions.

Belarus, a close ally of Moscow, has also condemned the exclusion of its athletes, maintaining that sports should remain separate from international politics.

Norway is not alone in restricting Russian and Belarusian participation in sporting events hosted within its borders.

Finland announced on Thursday that it would bar Russian athletes, including those seeking to compete under neutral status, from the cross-country skiing World Cup opener scheduled for later this month in Ruka.

Canada has also said it would deny entry to Russian players and officials seeking to participate in the World Junior Hockey Championship in Alberta next month.

Similarly, Poland has indicated that it would refuse visas to Russian ski jumpers intending to compete in World Cup events in Wisla in December and Zakopane in January.

These decisions demonstrate how individual countries are using their immigration and entry policies to maintain restrictions even where international sporting bodies have permitted some athletes to return.

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) currently allows some Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals in individual events.

However, permission from a sporting federation does not automatically guarantee entry into the country hosting a competition.

Responding to Finland’s decision, FIS told Reuters that host countries retain authority over their visa and entry policies, regardless of an athlete’s eligibility to compete.

“Notwithstanding eligibility, the host country visa and entry policies remain in place and are determined solely by the host country,” the federation said.

Norway’s announcement reinforces this distinction, potentially creating further complications for international sporting organisations seeking to reintegrate Russian and Belarusian athletes into competitions.

The development leaves the participation of athletes from both countries in several upcoming winter sporting events uncertain, as governments continue to weigh sporting eligibility against their positions on the war in Ukraine.