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Russian team to compete under national flag at 2026 Women's Water Polo World Cup

The 2026 Women's Water Polo World Cup will be the 20th edition of the tournament, running between April 21 and 25

MOSCOW, April 17. /TASS/. The Russian national team will compete at the 2026 World Aquatics Women's Water Polo World Cup under the country’s flag and to the tune of the national anthem, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Swimming Federation Svetlana Dreval told TASS on Friday.

"We are currently preparing Russia’s paraphernalia, so we will go in fully armed with the flag and anthem," Dreval said. "Everyone is thrilled that we are no longer neutral athletes and can officially be called the Russian national team."

The 2026 Women's Water Polo World Cup will be the 20th edition of the tournament, running between April 21 and 25. Russia has been placed in Division 2, with matches to be played in Malta, whereas the Netherlands will host matches for Division 1 on May 1-6. The super final will be held in Sydney, Australia.

On April 13, the world’s governing body of swimming sports, World Aquatics (formerly known as FINA), lifted all previously imposed sanctions against Russia and Belarus, allowing their athletes to compete again under the countries’ flags and to the tune of national anthems.

The international federation stated: "Senior athletes with Belarusian or Russian sport nationality will be permitted to compete in World Aquatics events in the same way as their counterparts representing other sport nationalities, with their respective uniforms, flags and anthems."

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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