FIS has published an updated list of athletes granted neutral status. Relay Olympic champion Denis Spitsov is on it, but Alexander Bolshunov is still missing.

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) has released a new version of its list of approved Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN), dated November 9, 2026. The biggest name added is Olympic champion Denis Spitsov, who now becomes eligible to compete in international competitions.

The 30-year-old is one of the most decorated Russian skiers of his generation. At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, he won gold in the 4x10km relay and silver in the 30km skiathlon, and four years earlier in Pyeongchang he took two silver medals and one bronze. His 2018 medals were bronze in the 15km interval start, silver in the team sprint together with Alexander Bolshunov, and silver in the relay, as listed in his FIS athlete profile.

Spitsov joins Natalia Terenteva (formerly Nepryaeva), who was approved in October as the first of the major Russian stars to be cleared for the season.

Also Read: Olympic Champion granted green light: Russian stars set to return

More cross-country skiers approved

Spitsov is not alone. The new additions also include Evgeniia Krupitskaia, Aleksandr Bakurov, Egor Gusak, Elizaveta Eremeeva, Natalia Kramarenko, Irina Mitroshina, Danil Nelipa, Dmitrii Ploskonosov, Arsenii Pozdeev, Anastasiia Prokofeva and Timur Shakirzianov, according to Newsbryansk.

Neutral status was also approved for coaches Aleksandr Kravchenko and Vladimir Frolov, as well as staff members Anton Korobeinikov, Aleksei Toritsyn and Andrei Shmidt, Match TV reports.

Earlier approvals for the coming season included Dariya Nepryaeva, Kseniia Shorokhova, Sergey Volkov and Nikita Denisov.

Read More: Former Junior World Champion among the Russians now given the green light by FIS

Bolshunov still waiting

Two of the biggest Russian names are still absent from the FIS list: three-time Olympic champion Alexander Bolshunov and Veronika Stepanova.

Also Read – Concerns grow at FIS: “Everyone knew it was about him”

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