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European Gymnastics clears Russian athletes to compete under national flag in Bulgaria

The tournament will be held in Varna from May 27 to 31

SOFIA, May 24. /TASS/. European Gymnastics has allowed Russian athletes to participate in the 2026 European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship in Bulgaria this month under the national flag and to the tune of the country’s anthem, according to the Europe’s sports federation website.

In the sports federation website’s section about the upcoming championship in Bulgaria, the team from Russia is listed among the participants under the national flag.

On May 18, the Executive Committee of World Gymnastics decided to lift previously imposed restrictions on Russian athletes, allowing them to compete internationally under the Russian flag. European Gymnastics announced to TASS later that it had been informed about World Gymnastics’ decision and would make its own decision on lifting restrictions on Russian athletes by May 24.

The 2026 European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship will be held on May 27-31 at the Palace of Culture and Sports in Varna, Bulgaria.

In December 2025, the IOC Executive Board issued recommendations that allowed athletes in international federations from Russia and Belarus to participate in youth disciplines under the national flags and anthems. This recommendation applied to both individual and team sports. Numerous international sports federations followed the proposal.

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