Norway moves to bar Russian and Belarusian athletes as Finland tightens entry rules

Norway announced on November 12 that it would prevent Russian and Belarusian professional athletes and their accompanying support staff from entering the country to compete while the war in Ukraine continues. The government's statement followed Finland's announcement of tighter entry restrictions for Russian athletes, adding new border-policy obstacles to participation in international sporting events.

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According to Norway's justice and culture ministries, the immigration and police directorates will be instructed to turn away the affected competitors and staff under immigration law. The government said the changes would take effect shortly, without giving a specific date. It described the decision as an additional restriction on an already limited visa and entry regime.

Norwegian ministers said recent decisions by international sports federations to ease restrictions had increased the number of athletes and support personnel who might seek to compete in Norway. The government cited links between Russian elite sport and state institutions, alongside Belarus's support for Russia's war, as reasons for its position on sporting participation.

Finland's foreign ministry said its new resolution would apply from November 16 when authorities assess visa applications, entry and short stays. The measures cover short-term work under visas, including professional sport, and expressly include athletes competing with neutral status. Officials said the restrictions would apply regardless of the country from which a Russian citizen travels to Finland or through it to elsewhere in the Schengen area.

The Finnish announcement assigns visa decisions to the foreign ministry and overseas missions, with the Border Guard responsible for entry matters. It also says a Schengen visa issued by another member state does not necessarily satisfy Finland's national entry requirements. The resolution supplements restrictions adopted in July 2023 rather than replacing the existing framework.

Associated Press reported that the Finnish move could affect upcoming figure skating and cross-country skiing events, including the figure skating world championships in Tampere in March. Its effect on individual entries remains uncertain. This week's NHL games in Helsinki between the Seattle Kraken and Carolina Hurricanes are not expected to be affected, AP reported, because Finland's new restrictions begin on Monday.