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04/13 09:57 CDT Russian swimmers get flag and anthem back as a key Olympic
sport drops its restrictions
Russian swimmers get flag and anthem back as a key Olympic sport drops its
restrictions
By JAMES ELLINGWORTH
AP Sports Writer
The governing body for international swimming and aquatic sports will allow
athletes from Russia to compete without restrictions and with their national
flag and anthem.
The decision marks a major shift in how a key sport treats Russia ahead of the
Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
World Aquatics said Monday it will remove restrictions which had required
Russian and Belarusian athletes to be vetted and to compete under neutral
status.
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."
Russia praises decision 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 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 water polo team forfeited a scheduled World Cup game Monday against a team of Russians in Malta and the Russians were handed a 5-0 win by default. Ukrainian media reported the boycott was a protest against the involvement of the Russian team, which was officially labeled as "Neutral Athletes B," in any capacity, rather than Monday's announcement from World Aquatics.
World Aquatics is a key Olympic player World Aquatics oversees sports like swimming, diving and water polo and is an influential voice in the Olympic movement. It says Russian and Belarusian athletes will have to undergo four anti-doping tests and "background checks" before competing after Monday's decision. It wasn't immediately clear what would be checked. Its decision applies only to its own events like the world championships but could add momentum within the Olympic world for a full return of Russian athletes ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games. There was no immediate response to a request for comment from the International Olympic Committee. In December the IOC recommended removing restrictions on Russian and Belarusian athletes for international youth events and letting them compete under national flags. The IOC still kept its neutral requirements for senior competitions and Russians and Belarusians were officially referred to as "Individual Neutral Athletes" at the Winter Olympics in February. ___ AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
Russia praises decision 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 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 water polo team forfeited a scheduled World Cup game Monday against a team of Russians in Malta and the Russians were handed a 5-0 win by default. Ukrainian media reported the boycott was a protest against the involvement of the Russian team, which was officially labeled as "Neutral Athletes B," in any capacity, rather than Monday's announcement from World Aquatics.
World Aquatics is a key Olympic player World Aquatics oversees sports like swimming, diving and water polo and is an influential voice in the Olympic movement. It says Russian and Belarusian athletes will have to undergo four anti-doping tests and "background checks" before competing after Monday's decision. It wasn't immediately clear what would be checked. Its decision applies only to its own events like the world championships but could add momentum within the Olympic world for a full return of Russian athletes ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games. There was no immediate response to a request for comment from the International Olympic Committee. In December the IOC recommended removing restrictions on Russian and Belarusian athletes for international youth events and letting them compete under national flags. The IOC still kept its neutral requirements for senior competitions and Russians and Belarusians were officially referred to as "Individual Neutral Athletes" at the Winter Olympics in February. ___ AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
