Gymnastics lifts ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has lifted its ban on Russian and Belarusian gymnasts and will allow them to return to international competition as neutral athletes from January 1.

The decision, taken by the FIG's executive committee, makes gymnastics the biggest Olympic sport so far to create a path for Russians and Belarusians to compete at next year's Paris Olympics, in line with recommendations from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Publishing the decision on its website, the FIG said that gymnasts from Russia and its ally Belarus would have to adhere to its as-yet unpublished "Ad-hoc Rules." It said the rules were "aimed at ensuring strict compliance with the neutrality requirements."

The participation of Russians and Belarusians will be authorized "under strict conditions," the FIG added, and "without any involvement or association" with their respective countries, national federations or national Olympic committees.

Vassily Titov, the president of Russia's gymnastics federation and also a member of the FIG's executive committee, told Russian state news agency TASS that the FIG's decision was "very responsible."

He added: "I'm sure that the FIG knows about our 'red lines,' among other things, signing political declarations in exchange for obtaining a neutral status."

While the FIG's decision was ultimately expected, it had for several months held off on lifting its ban, which it introduced at the onset of Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year.

In maintaining the ban, the FIG had invoked a statute adopted in January, part of which reads: "The measures shall be lifted, partially or totally, as soon as reasonably adequate in view of the evolution of the circumstances having led to the issuance of the measures."

Despite the war continuing, the FIG told DW that its decision "was taken in light of the IOC recommendations" in March and that "all other sanctions [...] remain in effect."

Chance to qualify for Paris Olympics

International federations must decide for themselves if and how to implement the IOC's recommendations.

Until now, the other 'big three' Olympic sports have taken different approaches. World Athletics has banned Russian and Belarusian athletes "for the foreseeable future." Meanwhile, swimming's governing body, World Aquatics, says a task force set up to "explore a potential pathway" will report back this month, adding that it backed the IOC's stance.

That stance allows Russian and Belarusian athletes to return as so-called Individual Neutral Athletes, as long as they haven't actively supported the war or aren't contracted to the military. However, the IOC says teams from the two countries should remain excluded, ruling Russia and Belarus out of gymnastics team competitions.

Last May, Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak received a one-year ban from the sport for displaying the letter "Z" — a Russian military symbol — on his vest during a medal ceremony at a World Cup event in Qatar.

The FIG said its decision meant Russian and Belarusian gymnasts could now participate in Olympic qualifying events, but that the IOC would have the final say on eligibility for the Paris Games.

Morinari Watanabe, the FIG's president, reiterated his view that athletes who aren't involved in the war should be allowed to compete without discrimination.

"By accepting Russian and Belarusian gymnasts to participate in competitions as independent neutral athletes, the FIG is ensuring that the rights of all athletes are respected and is sending a message to the world that gymnastics is seeking peace," Watanabe said.

'Sport is about big money'

Russia has long been a gymnastics powerhouse, with its successes, especially in rhythmic gymnastics, stretching well back to the Soviet era, when teams from the USSR dominated the sport.

Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast Ganna Ritzatdinova, who claimed the bronze medal in the all-around competition at the 2016 Rio Olympics, told DW that there was "no logic in this decision and nothing to do with the rules and principles of the Olympics."

"I am very glad that I no longer perform because it would be very difficult not to spit in everyone's face," Rizatdinova said, referring to the prospect of Russians lining up alongside Ukrainians on the podium.

The Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation (UGF) had tried to block the FIG from making a decision by going to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In a statement to DW, the UGF claimed that these proceedings had contributed to what it called "the caution of the FIG in making a final decision on this issue."

"The Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation will continue the active legal actions aimed at removing Russian and Belarusian athletes from the participation in international competitions, including against the use of 'neutral athlete status' for Russian and Belarusian athletes," it wrote.

Rizatdinova, meanwhile, reserves a lot of her anger for Thomas Bach, the IOC president, suggesting that "big money" had won out, and that those responsible for the decision were "accomplices in Russian crimes."

"Bach came during the war and saw what was happening in Ukraine, so his support seemed obvious," she said. "But the last words of Bach surprised me, and not only me. It's very clear he wants the Russians and Belarusians to return.

"The only answer is the money," she added. "Sport is about politics and big money. Sportspeople are just toys in the hands of big people."

'Victory at any cost'

One of the concerns of those pushing for a continued ban, particularly in the case of Russia, is that any glory for Russian athletes — even under the guise of neutrals — will be pounced on by President Vladimir Putin and used as propaganda for his regime.

As Rizatdinova witnessed first hand, that rings especially true in gymnastics. In 2016, she shared the podium with two Russian gymnasts. Taking the gold that day was Margarita Mamun, subject of the 2017 film "Over the Limit."

The film documents Mamun's struggles in the run-up to Rio and the brutal treatment she was subjected to by her coach, Irina Viner, in the pursuit of victory at any cost.

"What really matters is that Russia wins," says an exhausted Mamun, whose father was dying of cancer at the time.

"The relationship [in our team] was always human," Rizatdinova said. "This aggressive way that we saw from Irina Viner in the movie is totally the same as Putin in their country. People suffered but then Mamun achieved the medal."

Viner, who is also the president of Russia's rhythmic gymnastics federation, was awarded a "letter of gratitude" by Putin in March, shortly after being suspended from coaching by the FIG for criticizing officials at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Those Games saw Russia's two-decade grip on gold medals in rhythmic gymnastics come to an end.

Having fiercely competed against Russian gymnasts herself, Rizatdinova knows they will be determined to get back to the top of the podium in Paris.

"Gymnastics is very important for Russia because they have a tradition of medals," she said. "Sport is not out of politics, it's clear. For Russian propaganda, sport is a key part of the war."

Edited by Matt Ford