MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/. Russian athletes won eight gold, five silver and seven bronze medals following the first day of competition on Tuesday at the 2023 Russian-Chinese Youth Summer Games in China.

Russia’s young athletes took home medals in rhythmic gymnastics and swimming.

The 9th annual Russian-Chinese Youth Summer Games are being hosted by the Chinese city of Chongqing from May 21-27 and the Russian delegation at the event is represented by 158 athletes in addition to 50 members from the coaching and accompanying staff.

The Russian-Chinese Youth Summer Games include eight sports disciplines, namely badminton, basketball, volleyball, handball, wrestling, swimming, football and rhythmic gymnastics.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on October 17, 2022 to hold the Year of Russian-Chinese cooperation in physical culture and sports in 2022 and 2023.

IOC’s ban on Russia’s international participation

On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.

Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February 2022, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.

At its session on January 25, 2023, the IOC Executive Board put forward a proposal to permit individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in international sports tournaments, but only under certain conditions. Athletes from the countries in question should not be "actively supporting" Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and must compete under a neutral status.