Russian, Belarusian Swimmers Allowed to Compete Under Flags

Russian and Belarusian swimmers have been granted permission to compete under their national flags in senior world aquatic events, as announced by World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam. This decision comes after a three-year ban imposed due to the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The ban was lifted following recommendations from the International Olympic Committee during a summit aimed at addressing the participation of youth competitors from these nations. The new rules will allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete, provided they successfully complete at least four anti-doping control tests conducted in partnership with the International Testing Agency.

The Aquatic Integrity Unit has been instrumental in ensuring that conflicts do not interfere with sporting events. This change aligns with similar actions taken by the International Paralympic Committee and FIFA, as indicated by their respective leaders, Gianni Infantino and Matvii Bidnyi.