Aleksandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin who had previously been denied neutral athlete status will take part in the Bol on Ice show in Italy
Aleksandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin to Perform in Ice Show in Italy
original source: Championat
Russian ice dance champions Aleksandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin will take part in the Bol on Ice show in Bologna, marking a major return for active Russian figure skaters in international events since 2022.
According to Championat, citing Artistico.skatepower, Stepanova and Bukin will perform in Bol on Ice on January 10 in Bologna, Italy.
The duo, who are Russian champions in ice dance, had previously been denied neutral athlete status by the International Skating Union (ISU), preventing them from participating in the Olympic qualification tournament and thereby ruling them out of the 2026 Milan Olympics.
This appearance will be the first by active Russian figure skaters in international ice shows since 2022. In contrast, Olympic champions Alina Zagitova (2018) and Anna Shcherbakova (2022) were invited to participate in Fantasy on Ice 2025, held in Japan from May 31 to June 1. However, both have retired from competitive skating.
Stepanova and Bukin, meanwhile, plan to continue competing in the upcoming season while also participating in non-competitive events like international ice shows.
Related topics: Alexandra Stepanova Ivan Bukin
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