Russia, Belarus to Return Under National Flags at World Aquatics
Russian and Belarusian athletes will once again be able to compete at the World Aquatics Championships under their national symbols. The decision was announced by World Aquatics (WA), which also confirmed the restoration of full membership for both countries.
Participation requires at least four anti-doping tests.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, athletes from Russia and Belarus were banned from international competitions or allowed to compete only as neutrals. The next World Aquatics Championships will be held in Budapest in 2027.
Ukraine’s sports minister Matviy Bidnyy described the move as humiliating: “This decision devalues the memory of more than 650 Ukrainian athletes who will never compete again, precisely because of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation.” The Ukrainian Swimming Federation rejected the return of athletes from Russia and Belarus and announced further action.
Russian officials welcomed the decision and spoke about the possibility of reapplying to host international events.