The world federation has decided to suspend the status of “neutral athletes” adopted in recent years
Russian and Belarusian athletes will be admitted to international competitions with flag and anthem. This is the decision of the World Aquatics (world water sports federation), which decided to implement this provision after having already previously modified the guidelines – implemented by the Aquatics Integrity Unit (AQIU) – to allow junior athletes with Belarusian or Russian sporting nationality to participate under the same conditions as their peers. And now this new policy will also be valid for professionals. Immediately after the note came statements from the president of World Aquatics, Husain Al Musallam, who justified the decision with the following words: “Over the last three years, World Aquatics and the AQIU have successfully contributed to ensuring that conflict remains out of the venues of sporting competitions. We are determined to ensure that swimming pools and open waters remain places where athletes from all nations can meet in peaceful competition.” Athletes from the two countries will therefore be allowed to return to competing with their colors after passing at least four consecutive doping controls. This turning point represents the last stage of a gradual readmission process that began after the total exclusion in February 2022; after a phase of mandatory neutrality introduced in 2023 and the subsequent opening to relays and water polo between 2024 and 2025, the federation has chosen to restore the full national status of the athletes.
