(Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th June, 2022) Adds details from Sputnik source on voting in paras 4-5)
MOSCOW, June 5 (Sputnik) - The International Skating Union (ISU) Council will not prevent Russian and Belarusian delegates from participating in the ISU congress in Thailand's Phuket, the council said in a document seen by Sputnik.
The decision was made at a meeting of the ISU Council ahead of the 58th ISU Ordinary Congress, which starts on June 6. The ISU Council previously intended to take the matter of Russian and Belarusian delegates' participation to the vote of the congress before its start.
The document specifies that the intention to exclude the two delegations from the congress and the non-admission of candidates from specific countries to participate in elections to the governing bodies carry legal risks, in particular, the possibility of going to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which may invalidate all decisions of the congress.
At the same time, a source familiar with the matter told Sputnik that the ISU Congress will vote on on the participation of Russian and Belarusian delegations despite opposition from the ISU Council.
"The vote on whether to ban Russian and Belarusian delegations from participating in the Congress will still take place. Though, there is unlikely that such a decision (to prohibit delegations from participating) will be made, since the ISU Council did not support this intention," the source said.
The ISU Congress in Phuket will address a number of issues related to changes in the rules of figure skating, including raising the minimum age for participation in adult competitions to 17 years, and will hold elections to the leadership of the organization. Alexander Lakernik from Russia is running for the post of Vice-President.
