Gold medallist Russia’s Evgeny Rylov positions on the podium after the last of the males’s 200 m backstroke swimming occasion throughout the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 30, 2021.
Jonathan Nackstrand|AFP|Getty Images
Individual Russian swimmers will be permitted to complete in worldwide occasions, consisting of the Paris Olympics, if they fulfill a set of “strict criteria” that consist of not speaking to the media, the sport’s governing body stated Monday.
The World Aquatics governing body released its requirements Monday for Russian and Belarusian professional athletes, coaches and authorities to go back to competitors as neutrals after being prohibited due to the fact that of their nations’ war in Ukraine.
The requirements follow the International Olympic Committee’s standards that just private professional athletes from Russia and Belarus– no groups– can be permitted to complete in Paris, which they should not have actually revealed any public assistance for the war.
World Aquatics stated just one Russian and Belarusian professional athlete will be permitted to go into in each swimming and diving occasion.
They can not participate in any relays, creative swimming, integrated diving, or water polo.
World Aquatics has actually designated a panel to veterinarian professional athletes, coaches and authorities to ensure they have actually disappointed any assistance for the war– such as declarations, social networks posts or participating in pro-war presentations– considering that the intrusion began in February 2022.
That might disallow swimmer Evgeny Rylov, a two-time gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, who was suspended in 2015 for using a “Z” sign at a pro-war rally in Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
World Aquatics stated the guidelines worked Monday though it is uncertain the length of time vetting will take after professional athletes get neutral status.
Individual professional athletes still need to get approved for the Olympics in order to complete in Paris next summertime. Main occasions on the swim calendar prior to then consist of 3 World Cup satisfies in October in Berlin, Athens and Budapest and the 2024 aquatics world champions next February in Doha, Qatar.
Russian and Belarusian flags and anthems will not be permitted and authorized professional athletes and support personnel needs to use all-white uniforms and devices, World Aquatics stated.
“They will also not be allowed to give any interviews to media during such competitions,” the world swim body stated, likewise disallowing professional athletes from press conference and post-race combined zones where reporters can ask concerns.
World Aquatics is the current Olympic sports body to information its reaction to the International Olympic Committee’s recommendations to discover a method for neutral Russian and Belarusian professional athletes to go back to competitors.
The IOC at first prompted sports to leave out Russia from world sports within days of the war beginning, however that recommendations altered in December in spite of Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy advising a complete exemption of Russia.
Track and field’s World Athletics has actually taken the greatest position in continuing to restriction Russians, while the nation’s professional athletes are not likely to return in other Olympic sports up until next year.
World Aquatics likewise put limitations on how Russians and Belarusians can attempt to get approved for the primary competitors, consisting of going through 4 doping controls by acknowledged anti-doping companies in the year prior to requesting neutral status.
Any certifying time or efficiency likewise should be accomplished at a competitors held outdoors Russia and Belarus.
“Despite the challenges we face on the international stage, we acknowledge our responsibility to foster a competitive, fair, and inclusive environment for every competitor,” World Aquatics president Husain al Musallam stated in a declaration.
Swimmers and scuba divers who reveal “discriminatory behavior” towards their Russian and Belarusian challengers will deal with disciplinary action, World Aquatics stated.
