SHAOXING, China, May 1 — Russian climbers returned to top-level international competition for the first time in five years, as they competed as neutral athletes at the opening stop of the 2026 World Climbing Series, formerly known as the IFSC World Cup, on Friday.
Four Russian athletes took part in the boulder qualification round under neutral status, marking their first appearance at a major international event since 2021.
Following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, the sport’s governing body – then known as the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) – suspended the national federations of Russia and Belarus and barred their athletes from all international competitions.
The ban was lifted earlier this year after the federation, now operating as World Climbing, reinstated both countries’ memberships in February.
However, athletes holding Russian or Belarusian passports are still only permitted to compete as neutrals, with no national symbols, and events remain barred from being staged in either country.
Among those returning was Elena Krasovskaia, who finished fourth in women’s boulder at the 2021 World Championships. She said stepping back onto the international stage restored “a huge part” of her life.
“I get to see many people I climbed with since my childhood, and I also see some young girls.
It’s good to see this sport is growing, and I really missed this atmosphere,” the 25-year-old said.
“When I couldn’t participate in the international competitions, it felt like I had lost a part of my life.”
“It was hard [to keep going] as sometimes it was hard to find motivation,” she added.
None of the four neutral athletes advanced from the qualification round.
Their coach, Andrei Sushkov, said the lack of international competition over the past five years had taken a toll, as government funding for participation abroad has been limited due to international sanctions on Russian sport.
“We missed five years. At home, we don’t have routes or problems like these,” Sushkov said.
“Coming here allows us to test everything, and then we can go back and adjust our training.”
Asked whether she hoped to compete again under the Russian flag, Krasovskaia said: “Yes, I think every athlete would agree that representing your country is very important.”
“It would be better [to wear the national flag],” Sushkov echoed. “But for now it’s ok. It’s good to be back. It’s a great chance for us.” (Namibia Daily News/Xinhua)
