Russia and Belarus to compete again with uniforms, flags and anthems

LAUSANNE – Russian and Belarusian athletes will be permitted to compete in World Aquatics events with their respective uniforms, flags and anthems, the global governing body said on April 13, triggering outrage from Ukraine.

Competitors from Russia and Belarus were banned from international sporting events following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which was launched in part from Belarusian territory.

A small number of Russian and Belarusian athletes were allowed to compete at the Paris Olympics in 2024, but only as neutrals and not as representatives of their nations.

The next World Aquatics championships – comprising swimming, artistic swimming, diving, high diving, open water swimming and water polo events – will be held in Budapest in 2027.

World Aquatics said Russian and Belarusian athletes would be cleared to compete after passing at least four straight anti-doping controls and completing background checks.

“Over the last three years, World Aquatics and the AQIU (Aquatics Integrity Unit) have successfully helped ensure that conflict can be kept outside the sporting competition venues,” World Aquatics president Husain Al-Musallam said in a statement. “We are determined to ensure that pools and open water remain places where athletes from all nations can come together in peaceful competition.”

World Aquatics also said that Russia and Belarus would resume full membership rights.

Russia’s Sports Minister and Olympic committee head Mikhail Degtyarev welcomed the decision, saying it would allow Russian and Belarusians to compete on an equal footing.

Russia’s state-run RIA news agency quoted Dmitry Mazepin, head of the national aquatics federation, as saying Russia could now seek to host future world and European aquatics championships.

However, the World Aquatics decision was condemned by Ukraine’s government and swimming federation.

Youth and Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi said the ruling was demeaning to his country and athletes who had been killed in four years of war.

“This decision devalues the memory of more than 650 Ukrainian athletes who will never again compete, precisely because of the armed aggression of the Russian federation,” the Ukrinform news agency quoted Bidnyi as saying.

He urged the international community to avoid being “accomplices in legitimising aggression through the sporting achievements of athletes who are, in fact, part of the Russian propaganda machine”.

The Ukrainian Swimming Federation said the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes was unacceptable and it would consult with international organisations regarding further steps to respond to the World Aquatics decision.

“We are speaking about representatives of states that kill Ukrainians every day, destroy our cities and demolish residential buildings, hospitals, schools and sports infrastructure,” it said in a statement. REUTERS