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Russian swimmers barred from communicating with media at 2025 World University Games

The 2025 World University Games will be held between July 16 and 27 in the German cities of Bochum, Duisburg, Essen, Mulheim an der Ruhr, Hagen and Berlin

MOSCOW, June 10. /TASS/. Russian swimmers and divers will be prohibited from communicating with media during the 2025 World University Games this summer in Germany, the press office of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) said in a statement to TASS on Tuesday.

"As FISU always follows the International Federations’ rules, swimmers from Russia and Belarus with a neutral status will not be able to communicate with the media at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games," the statement reads.

In September 2023, the world’s governing body of swimming sport, World Aquatics, ruled to allow swimmers from Russia and Belarus to compete internationally in the federation-sponsored tournaments but under certain conditions. They include neutral-status participation and a ban to communicate with the media.

The 2025 World University Games will be held between July 16 and 27 in the German cities of Bochum, Duisburg, Essen, Mulheim an der Ruhr, Hagen and Berlin. The German capital will be hosting competitions in swimming and diving.

TASS reported earlier that Russian athletes intend to compete in nine sports at the 2025 World University Games. The Russians have submitted applications for participation in rowing, judo, archery, fencing, swimming, diving, taekwondo, table tennis and tennis.

The preliminary roster lists over 150 athletes as well as 50 coaches, medical personnel and other officials.

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.

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