Norway and Finland announce entry restrictions for Russian professional athletes
Oslo plans restrictions for Russian and Belarusian professional athletes. Finland’s visa-related rules for non-essential short-term work, including professional sport, apply from 16 November.
Norway announced on 12 November that it will prevent Russian and Belarusian professional athletes and accompanying support staff from entering to compete. The Justice Ministry will instruct the immigration directorate and police accordingly. The government says the changes will take effect shortly, without specifying a date.
Finland announced a separate decision covering Russian nationals. From 16 November, authorities will apply tighter visa, entry and short-stay restrictions for non-essential work under a Schengen visa, including professional sport. The Finnish Foreign Ministry says athletes competing under neutral status are also covered.
Both governments link the measures to the war in Ukraine. These are national entry rules rather than changes to international federations’ competition regulations. The announcements do not establish that individual athletes have already been removed.
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