Russian And Belarusian Gymnasts Cleared To Return Without Restrictions
World Gymnastics (FIG) has lifted all restrictions on Russian and Belarusian gymnasts, allowing them to compete under their national flags at world championships and the Olympic Games.
Gold medalists Russia's Liliia Akhaimova, Russia's Angelina Melnikova Russia's Viktoriia Listunova and Russia's Vladislava Urazova celebrate on the podium after winning the artistic gymnastics women's team final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo on July 27, 2021. (Photo by Martin BUREAU / AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images After more than four years of restrictions, Russian and Belarusian gymnasts may compete freely under their national flags in sanctioned events. The World Gymnastics (FIG) Executive Committee announced its decision on Monday, lifting “all restrictions applicable” to Russian and Belarusian athletes.
The federation’s decision is “effective immediately," and ends all restrictions and Ad-Hoc rules that were initially instituted in February 2022 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Period of Neutrality Ends Prior to Monday’s verdict, Russian and Belarusian athletes were permitted to compete in FIG-sanctioned events as Individual Neutral Athletes, and “not in any way as a representative of the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus or any other organization in their country. ” This restriction previously barred athletes from representing their National Olympic Committee (NOC) or National Federation (NF).
To qualify as an Individual Neutral Athlete, the athlete had to meet a set of criteria set by the FIG. No voluntary affiliation with the Russian or Belarusian military or with any other national security agency No active support for the military conflict in Ukraine Even once approved as a neutral athlete, the flags of the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus could not be flown or displayed, and the FIG assigned any competing athlete with "AIN" as their competitive acronym. National anthems were strictly prohibited during award ceremonies.
Instead, a winning athlete received FIG-selected “neutral music. " Despite its procedural safeguards, the neutrality process garnered significant scrutiny in 2025 when Olympic and World champion Angelina Melnikova received FIG approval as an Individual Neutral Athlete, allowing her to compete at the 2025 World Gymnastics Championships. Many alleged that Melnikova’s “neutral” participation violated the International Gymnastics Federation’s (FIG) neutrality conditions.