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IOC comments on Russia’s full reinstatement with World Aquatics

According to the statement, it is up to each International Federation as the sole authority for its international competition to decide on this question

MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/. International sports federations decide independently on the issue of returning national symbols to Russian athletes, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said in a statement to TASS on Tuesday.

"It is up to each International Federation (IF) as the sole authority for its international competitions, outside of the Olympic Games, to decide on this question," the statement reads.

On April 13, the world’s governing body of swimming sports, World Aquatics, lifted all previously imposed sanctions against Russia and Belarus, allowing their athletes to compete again under the countries’ flags and to the tune of national anthems.

The international federation stated: "Senior athletes with Belarusian or Russian sport nationality will be permitted to compete in World Aquatics events in the same way as their counterparts representing other sport nationalities, with their respective uniforms, flags and anthems."

World Aquatics’ previous ban on Russia, Belarus

In March 2022, World Aquatics (FINA until December 2022) ruled to bar Russia and Belarus from FINA’s upcoming international swimming competitions.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended international sports federations in late March 2023 to allow individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in international sports tournaments, but only under specific conditions.

Specifically, athletes from the two countries should not be "actively supporting" Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and must compete under a neutral status. Russia and Belarus were also banned from participating in international team events.