MOSCOW, September 23. /TASS/. Russian athletes at the World Men's Bodybuilding Championships in Iran will for the first time in years be able to officially represent their country at the event, the press service of the Russian Bodybuilding Federation told TASS.

The championship will be held on September 23-27 on Kish Island, which is located in the south of Iran in the Persian Gulf.

"Our athletes at the World Championships in Iran will perform under the flag and anthem of their country for the first time after a long break," a source told TASS. "The Russian national team includes 67 athletes, making it the second-largest team at the tournament. The team has already arrived in Iran. Today, they will be registered, and tomorrow the athletes will begin to battle for medals," the official added.

The last time Russians competed at the World Bodybuilding Championships under their country's flag was in the fall of 2020, when the unified tournament was held in Santa Susanna, Spain.

In July 2024, the Executive Committee of the International Bodybuilding Federation held a vote, deciding to admit Russian and Belarusian athletes as members of the official teams of their countries to all international competitions by an absolute majority of votes.