How Russia’s 2026 Olympic ban affected figure skating

Graphic of a figure skater performing a Biellmanm spin (Alana Moscoso-Mendoza / The Puma Prensa)

By Alana Moscoso-Mendoza, Opinion Editor

The 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics saw a 96% increase in viewership since 2022, marking it as an incredibly culturally significant Olympic season to date. Figure skating is, according to ESPN, the most popular winter Olympic sport, with 59% of survey takers reporting it as the sport they were most excited about. With the sport’s stunning artistry and compellingly technical jumps, spins, and more, it's no wonder figure skating has always been so beloved worldwide. 

The United States brought home a gold medal in women’s singles, something unheard of for 24 years. This isn’t a coincidence; Russia has historically been the homeland for many Olympic medalists in women’s singles figure skating. With the exclusion of Russia from competing, due to the invasion of now war-stricken Ukraine, how has Olympic figure skating changed this year?

As touched on previously, the podium was significantly more diverse than previous Winter Olympics. For example, of 18 spots on the figure skating podium, Russia took six: one gold medal, three silver medals, and two bronze medals. Were it not for Kamila Valieva’s doping scandal, Russia would have won gold in the team event, too. Furthermore, in response to the overwhelming trend of young, jump-focused Russian skaters, due to this scandal, the minimum age for senior competition was raised to 17.

This year, the podium was much more diversified, with medals going to Kazakhstan, Georgia, Germany, and many more countries that aren’t typically seen on the podiums. Mikhail Shaidorov, hailing from Kazakhstan, won the country’s first ever Olympic gold medal, while Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava, who competed for Georgia, also won their country’s first ever medal. Russia’s ban overall allowed for many more countries to reach the top three spots in figure skating, which is never a bad thing. 

In addition, countries like the US and Japan, who have historically won consistent Olympic medals, also found themselves on the podium. While not uncommon, disallowing Russia from competing allowed these countries to showcase their talented skaters without being overshadowed by Russian skaters. 

The age of teenage prodigies relying upon risky quad jumps to win medals has, perhaps temporarily, passed. Older, more mature skaters with more of an emphasis on art than technicality were allowed to compete; and more than just that, they earned medals. Figure skating is, and has always been, more than highly technical jumps. It is an art, which is a sentiment that has been sadly overlooked for decades. 

Many figure skaters, especially at Olympic levels, dedicate their entire lives to the sport. It’s anything but easy–competitive skaters often undergo strict training regiments, practicing on and off the ice almost every day. Alongside, a strict diet is seen as essential for peak physical performance. 

Skaters must also devote hundreds of thousands of dollars towards the sport. What with coaches, choreographers, equipment, competition outfits, travel expenses, and more, the metaphorical figure skating bill racks up quickly. 

Not only is this sport a financial privilege to participate in, but it is incredibly physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. Olympic level Russian skaters, who commonly undergo vigorous training in order to achieve highly skilled jumps, know that truth all too well.

The 2026 Winter Olympics were like a breath of fresh air – while figure skating hasn’t been any less rigorous of a sport, many of the skaters that were awarded medals brought more attention to this fact. Take Alysa Liu, for example; after quitting at 16, she came back to compete at 18, and was awarded an Olympic gold medal at 20, while eating what she wanted, training when she wanted, and building her own programs exactly the way she wanted. Ilia Malinin, dubbed the “Quad God,” tragically fell multiple times during his free program but was still met with thunderous praise. 

Were it not for Russia’s ban, these revolutionary skaters would have likely been overshadowed by highly technical Russian skaters. The 2026 Olympics showed that, while vigorous training is essential for Olympic success, it should not–and does not have to–come at the cost of an athlete’s physical or mental health. 

Figure skaters are more than just the jumps they can perform or the medals they can win, and this Olympic season demonstrated that.