SOFIA, May 26. /TASS/. The 2026 European Championships in Rhythmic Gymnastics, which kicks off in Bulgaria on May 27, will be the Russian team’s first major international tournament in five years where they will be taking part under the national flag and to the tune of the country’s anthem.

In all, 362 gymnasts representing 43 countries have been registered to participate in the European tournament with 254 athletes competing at the professional level and 108 in amateur competitions. The youth competitions at the championship will be held only in individual exercises, while the pros will compete in both individual and group exercises.

The upcoming European championship in Bulgaria serves as the qualifying tournament for the 2026 World Championships in Rhythmic Gymnastics that will be hosted by Germany’s Frankfurt-am-Main in mid-August. Countries whose athletes finish in the top-12 in the individual all-around event will have the right to submit the candidacies of two or three gymnasts for the world championships, while the rest of the national federations at the tournament in Bulgaria will be able to submit one candidate each.

The Russian national team will be represented in Bulgaria in individual exercises by Maria Borisova and Sofia Ilteryakova. In group exercises the team is represented by Arina Lysenko, Nelli Reutskaya, Nikol Andronchik, Daria Melnik, Alyona Seliverstova and Alina Proshchalykina. Russia’s team in the youth competitions at the European championship includes Yana Zaikina, Ksenia Savinova, Eva Chevtayeva and Alesya Naifonova (substitute).

The last time the Russian national rhythmic gymnastics team performed under the country’s flag and the national anthem at a major international tournament was in 2021 - also at the European Championships in Bulgaria. At that championship five years ago the Russian team of gymnasts won nine gold, two silver and two bronze medals finishing at the top of the overall medal standings, followed by Israel in 2nd place (two gold, two silver and five bronze medals) and Bulgaria in 3rd place (one gold and five silver medals). Russian gymnast Dina Averina won four gold, while her sister Arina Averina took three gold medals at the 2021 European Championships.

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

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 and eventually followed suit.

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.