World Aquatics Will Review Russian-Athlete Eligibility Later This Year
At the same time as the World Championships in Fukuoka, the Swim Cup of Russia took place and served as an opportunity for Russian and Belarusian athletes to put down fast times. The Swim Cup was organized since swimmers from Russia and Belarus are currently banned from World Aquatics competition, due to the Russian invasion of the Ukraine, and Belarus’ support.
Although no definitive decision has been made by the International Olympic Committee pertaining to Russian/Belarusian eligibility for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the IOC recently recommended that global organizations should allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral banner. A caveat was that eligibility hinges on athletes not supporting the war in the Ukraine.
World Aquatics indicated it will revisit the topic later this year, after gathering viewpoints from its member organizations, athletes and coaches. World Aquatics, which was formerly known as FINA, initially banned athletes from Russia and Belarus beginning in March 2022.
If World Aquatics eventually lifts its ban, that move would open the door for global competition for the likes of Kliment Kolesnikov and Evgeniia Chikunova. However, the status of double-Olympic backstroke champion Evgeny Rylov remains uncertain, due to his public appearance at a rally supporting Vladimir Putin and the invasion of the Ukraine.