World Skate expands global reach, approves governance and anti-doping updates
World Skate approved new members from Central Africa and Equatorial Guinea, restored Belarus under its flag, and kept Russia’s restrictions in place.
World Skate’s executive board approved two provisional member federations from the Central African Republic and Equatorial Guinea, moved ahead with a new World Cup branding strategy, reaffirmed its long-term commitment to adaptive sports and Paralympic inclusion, and signed off on updated anti-doping regulations for 2027. The federation laid out the decisions in a June 24 update after the board met on June 22.
The sharpest competitive change came in eligibility policy. World Skate said Belarusian athletes will be reinstated under their national flag in line with the IOC framework, while restrictions on Russia remained unchanged. That marks a clear shift from 2023, when World Skate said Russian and Belarusian athletes could compete only under strict neutrality-style conditions, including no military affiliation and no support for the war in Ukraine.
The governance picture was equally significant. ASOIF’s Sixth IF Governance Review, published in June 2026, said its members continued to improve in areas including gender equality, safeguarding, election campaigning rules, whistleblowing procedures and open procurement. All 36 Full and Associate Members took part in the review process, and World Skate has been a full ASOIF member since 2023. For a federation that governs skating disciplines worldwide, the review matters because it frames how seriously the organization is being judged on transparency and internal controls, not just medals and events.
The anti-doping update also carries immediate practical weight. The International Testing Agency has supported World Skate’s anti-doping program since January 2019, and the new 2027 regulations will shape testing and enforcement heading into the next cycle of major competitions. That includes World Skate Games 2026 in Asunción, Paraguay, a marquee stage where the federation’s branding changes and policy decisions will be visible to athletes across roller sports.
The broader signal is that World Skate is widening its footprint while tightening its rulebook. The sport’s international federation traces back to 1924, and the June board actions show a governing body trying to extend membership, modernize its competition identity, and keep pace with Olympic and anti-doping expectations at the same time.
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