Finland prepares full ban on entry for Russians, including athletes

Urgent processing of government decree amendment

The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs is urgently preparing a proposal to amend the government decree on the entry of Russian citizens into the country. This was announced by Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, whose words are reported by the publication Yle.

The President of Finland and the Committee on Foreign and Security Policy have already discussed the issue of banning entry for Russians. The aim of the measures is to establish a full ban, which includes representatives of the sports community.

Prime Minister's position: from restrictions to full prohibition

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo emphasised that since 2022, certain restrictions for Russians have already been in force in Finland, particularly regarding the issuance of tourist visas. At the same time, according to him, additional measures are currently being prepared that will allow a complete ban on entry, including for professional athletes.

Orpo noted that the issues are being processed on an accelerated basis. He added that a principled decision would be if Russian citizens had no possibility of entering Finnish territory at all.

Sports context: approach of key competitions

The intensification of discussions is linked to the approach of a number of major sporting events where the participation of Russian athletes is expected:

• Next week, two NHL matches involving Russian players are scheduled to take place in Helsinki.
• On 20–21 November, the Finlandia Trophy figure skating tournament with participants from Russia will be held in Helsinki.
• On 27–29 November, a stage of the World Cup in cross-country skiing will begin in Ruka, where Russian athletes are also expected.