LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Russian luge athletes were given hope Friday of competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics after sport’s highest court ruled against a blanket ban on the country’s athletes because of the war on Ukraine.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport’s judgment — requiring the International Luge Federation (FIL) to start assessing Russian athletes for approved neutral (AIN) status — could yet lead to skiing’s governing body having to do the same ahead of the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Games in February.

CAS said its judges partially upheld appeals by the Russian luge federation and six athletes, but denied their request to resume competing immediately in international events.

At court, FIL argued for the continued exclusion of all Russian athletes on security grounds b

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