MOSCOW, July 17. /TASS/. The executive board of the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) has decided to allow athletes representing Russia and Belarus to compete at the European and World championships under their national flags and to the tune of their anthems, a spokesman for the Russian Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (RBFF) told TASS on Wednesday.

According to a previous decision from the IFBB, until July 2024 athletes from Russia were allowed to take part in international tournaments flying their country’s national symbols except for the World and European Championships, where they were accepted to participate only under a neutral status.

"Following lengthy negotiations between the RBFF and the IFBB and a review of the letter from the Russian Bodybuilding Federation, the Executive Committee of the International Bodybuilding Federation gathered on July 8 for another meeting, and by an overwhelming majority of cast votes it was decided to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes, as part of their official national teams, into all international competitions without any exceptions," the RBFF spokesman said.

"RBBF President Alexander Vishnevsky [later] asked the IFBB President Rafael Santonja whether the decision’s wording meant that the [Russian] national flag and anthem would be allowed at the competitions. The response was positive, as he said ‘Certainly’," he continued.

"The roster of the Russian bodybuilding team is currently being assembled for the 2024 IFBB World Men’s Bodybuilding Championship, which will be held in Iran between September 23 and 27," he noted. "RBBF maintains constant contact on this issue with the Iranian Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness".