International Equestrian Federation Lifts Restrictions on Russian Riders

By Reuters Sep. 3, 2026 Natalia Simonia, 2022 Russian show jumping champion. The Russian Equestrian Federation The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) will lift restrictions on Russian riders and officials starting Oct. 5 and once again allow international competitions to be held in Russia, the governing body has said. Russian and Belarusian riders have been barred from representing their countries under their national flags at FEI events since March 2022, though some have competed as neutral athletes. The FEI said the decision followed the International Olympic Committee's move in July to provisionally lift its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC). Russia's equestrian federation said Wednesday that the FEI Council had approved the move after what it described as extensive negotiations between the national body and international officials. Under the new rules, Russia can host FEI-sanctioned competitions from Oct. 5, subject to compliance with FEI regulations. The restrictions on Russian national flags, anthems, colors, uniforms and other national identifiers will also be lifted. "The FEI has also received written confirmation from the Russian Equestrian Federation that it does not develop equestrian sport or operate equestrian clubs in the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions, nor in Crimea and Sevastopol," an FEI spokesperson said in Wednesday's statement. The FEI said it would continue to support Ukraine through a relief fund that it established in 2022 "to help address some of the urgent needs of the country's equestrian community." Other international federations, including aquatics, motorsport, modern pentathlon, wrestling and gymnastics, have also eased restrictions on Russian and Belarusian athletes. Read more about: Sports Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russia Wins First Winter Paralympic Medals Since 2014 Six Russian athletes and four athletes from ally Belarus are competing under their national flags for the first time in years. 2 Min read Russian Swimmer Missing After Bosphorus Race in Turkey Nikolai Svechnikov reportedly failed to reach the finish line of the Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim, which drew more than 2,800 swimmers. 2 Min read Russian Gymnastics Federation Announces Return to International Competitions The federation said Russian gymnasts will compete in several upcoming events, but did not say whether they would do so under the Russian flag. 1 Min read Olympic High Jump Champion Lasitskene Considers Retirement Amid International Competition Ban “I personally can no longer find the motivation to compete only in domestic competitions,” Maria Lasitskene told state media. 1 Min read