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The World Swimming Federation has fully allowed Russia and Belarus to take part in international competitions again. He follows the instructions of IOC President Kirsty Coventry.
Husain Al-Musallam, President of the World Swimming Federation World Aquatics, now also belongs to the list of top sports officials who have made a contribution to world peace. The world association president celebrated the decision that athletes from Russia and Belarus will be allowed to swim in international competitions again with almost no restrictions in the future as a message of peace.
As in the past three years, the world association will continue to ensure that “That swimming pools and open water remain places where athletes from all nations can come together in peaceful competition.”
Rocket attack on Ukrainian swimming center
Perhaps Al-Musallam should have spoken to Mykhailo Romanchuk, the top Ukrainian swimmer, beforehand for a reality check: The Olympic silver medalist trained in Magdeburg for a while after a Russian missile hit the swimming center in his homeland.
Or with Ivan Perepelytsya, a swimming coach from Kiev, who trains there, among other things, with wounded war veterans who have lost limbs. The trainer told Deutschlandfunk that swimming training helped against phantom pain.
decision of Swimming Association not surprising
If it weren’t so cynical, you could have bet money on which of the major associations of a core Olympic sport would be the first to give in and bring athletes from Russia and Belarus back into the sports family. It should come as no surprise that it will be swimming.
The world association led by Al-Musallam has already decided in 2023, as the second major discipline after gymnastics, to allow the previously banned athletes from Russia and Belarus back as so-called neutral athletes. At last year’s World Championships, Russian teams were allowed into the water again for the first time, and the synchronized swimmers from Putin’s empire immediately took silver again.
President with allegations of corruption confronted
So now the complete rehabilitation of the swimmers from Russia and Belarus by the world association and its Qatari president, who has already faced several corruption allegations during his time in office. However, the chairwoman of the International Olympic Committee has paved the way for this: at the Winter Games last February, IOC boss Kirsty Coventry opened the door wide open for Russia to fully return to Olympic sport, with her stipulation that the sport must be considered as “neutral place” be preserved, “where athletes can compete freely without being held back by politics or governments.” Swimming President Al-Musallam was considered a supporter of Coventry in the IOC presidential election.
*Note Editor’s note: In an earlier version we wrote that Husain Al-Musallam comes from Qatar. However, he is from Kuwait. We apologize for the error.
