After an announcement by IHF Council, youth teams from Russia and Belarus can return to international competition. Some limitations still apply for the immediate decision.
Soon after the invasion of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus was excluded whether in form of teams, individual athletes, referees or officials from the world of sports.
Now, IHF has started to ease that ban, for now applying to youth teams.
”Russian and Belarusian youth teams are permitted to organise and participate in self-arranged friendly matches and friendly tournaments. RUS/BLR national federations may officially confirm in which countries no restrictions are applicable and arrange matches accordingly”, the international federation states on the webpage.
Also, the involved athletes and coaches must sign a declaration to ensure that they don’t have any affiliation to government organisations, nor are involved in the current conflict.
IHF base its decision on the IOC recommendation from December 2025 to lift the ban for Russian and Belarusian actives in team sports.
The federation will meet again in the beginning of May with further discussions on the topic of reintegration.