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Russian swimmers to be allowed to compete with flag and anthem after ...
Russian swimmers, divers and water polo players will be allowed to compete without restrictions and with their national flag and anthem.The decision by governing body World Aquatics marks a major shift in how a key sport treats Russia ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and prompted condemnation by Ukraine.World Aquatics said on Monday it will remove restrictions which required Russian and Belarusian athletes to be vetted and to compete as neutrals.It excluded Russia and Belarus from its events like the world championships after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, then allowed limited participation as neutrals a year later, and further eased the rules since.“Senior athletes with Belarusian or Russian sport nationality will be permitted to compete in World Aquatics events in the same way as their counterparts representing other sport nationalities, with their respective uniforms, flags and anthems,” World Aquatics said in a statement. It had previously relaxed the rules for junior athletes.World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam added: “We are determined to ensure that pools and open water remain places where athletes from all nations can come together in peaceful competition.” Ukraine condemns decisionWorld Aquatics isn’t the first sports body to reinstate Russia in full — judo did it in November and taekwondo in January — but it’s by far the biggest.Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyaryov thanked Al Musallam “for his firm position on this issue” and said they’d discussed the issue together in January.“It is very important that international sporting dialogue is bearing fruit and enables the orderly restoration of sporting ties,” Degtyaryov, who also heads the Russian Olympic Committee, wrote on the social media app Max. Ukraine Minister of Youth and Sports Matvii Bidnyi condemned the decision. “Sport should unite around fair rules and respect for life. Returning the flag to a country that disregards and systematically destroys these rules is a wake-up call for the entire sports community,” Bidnyi said. “Today, our athletes are training under fire, and against this background any talk of ‘neutrality’ or the return of the aggressor’s paraphernalia looks shameful and divorced from reality.” Ukraine has previously objected to efforts to allow Russian athletes to return to competition. Last month it led boycotts of the Paralympic opening and closing ceremonies after Russians were allowed to compete under their national flag. Ukraine’s men’s ...
Russian swimmers to be allowed to compete with flag and anthem after ...
Democracy Dies in DarknessThe governing body for international swimming and aquatic sports will allow athletes from Russia to compete without restrictions and with their national flag and anthemApril 13, 2026 at 1:05 p.m. EDT2 minutes agoFILE - Neutral Athlete Russia, Kliment Kolesnikov reacts after winning gold medal in the men’s 50-meter backstroke final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, on Aug. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File)By James Ellingworth | APRussian swimmers, divers and water polo players will be allowed to compete without restrictions and with their national flag and anthem.The decision by governing body World Aquatics marks a major shift in how a key sport treats Russia ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and prompted condemnation by Ukraine.
World Aquatics allows Russia, Belarus athletes to compete with flags ...
World Aquatics — the international governing body for swimming, diving, artistic swimming and water polo — will allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete with their respective uniforms, flags and anthems "in the same way as their counterparts representing other sport nationalities," it announced Monday.
ROC to compensate Russian athletes who missed Milano Cortina Games
April 8 - The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) have said they will make cash payments to 116 athletes from the country who were unable to compete at the Milano Cortina Winter Games this year. Read ...
