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Russians at World Aquatics Championships not allowed to post flag emoji on social media

The 22nd edition of the World Aquatics Championships is taking place from July 11 to August 3, 2025 in Singapore

MOSCOW, July 13. /TASS/. The neutral status granted to Russian and Belarusian athletes bars them from linking their participation in the World Aquatics Championships - Singapore 2025 to their countries even on social media, and posting flag emojis is banned, World Aquatics told TASS.

The 22nd edition of the World Aquatics Championships is taking place from July 11 to August 3, 2025 in Singapore. Some 100 Russian and Belarusian athletes are taking part. They were allowed to participate as part of two teams, Neutral Athletes B (NAB) and Neutral Athletes A (NAA).

"Note, neither before the Championships, during the Championships, nor after the Championships can they link their participation in the events to Russia or the Russian Swimming Federation. Posting a flag emoji and the like would constitute linking their participation to a country deemed a conflict nation," the world governing body for aquatics said.

Nor are Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed "to comment on any conflict, any nation in conflict, or any subject that would link their participation in the World Aquatics Championships - Singapore 2025 to a nation in conflict," the organizers explained.

Last month, World Aquatics cleared Russian and Belarusian athletes to communicate with the media.

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