The International Skating Union (ISU) announced Tuesday that it is banning Russian and Belarusian figure skaters from events.
The announcement comes a day after the International Olympic Committee recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes not be permitted to participate in international competitions due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Russia is a powerhouse in figure skating. The Russian Olympic Committee won gold in the team event at the Beijing Olympics. However, it's unclear whether the team will actually receive the gold medal after a member of the team tested positive for a banned substance.
Russian women also won gold and silver in the women's event.
The impact of the ban could be felt immediately. The World Figure Skating Championships are scheduled to begin on March 21.
Russia would have been the favorite in multiple events.
