World Gymnastics has decided to remove all limitations placed on Russian and Belarusian athletes, permitting them to participate in international competitions under their respective national flags effective immediately. This announcement comes after the restrictions imposed in March 2022 due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Initially, athletes from both countries were allowed to compete as neutral participants, but now they can represent their nations openly.
In a similar move, World Aquatics terminated its neutral status guidelines in April, enabling senior Russian and Belarusian swimmers to showcase their national colors and anthems. Furthermore, United World Wrestling recently fully reinstated both nations across all age categories.
The lifting of restrictions applies to all five disciplines overseen by World Gymnastics, which include artistic, rhythmic, acrobatic, aerobic gymnastics, and trampolining. Russia has a strong tradition in gymnastics, having secured two gold medals and a total of 10 medals in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics under the Russian Olympic Committee banner. However, they were subsequently excluded from the 2024 Paris Games.
World Gymnastics has not provided an immediate response to inquiries for comments on this matter.