MOSCOW, October 13. /TASS/. The official reason cited by The Netherlands for refusing entry visas to Russian athletes seeking to participate in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships was a threat to international relations, Russia’s Gymnastics Federation said.

Earlier, the Dutch embassy refused to issue visas to Olympic champions Angelina Melnikova and Victoria Listunova, as well as Anna Kalmykova. The World Artistic Gymnastics Championships will be held in Rotterdam from October 17 to 25.

"The official notifications about visa denials for Angelina Melnikova, Viktoria Listunova, and Anna Kalmykova cite the following reason: ‘one or more member states of the Schengen Area consider the athletes a threat to their international relations.’ This was precisely the reason given for denying visas to the three leading Russian gymnasts four days before the start of the World Championships in Rotterdam," it said.

TASS reported earlier that gymnasts Daniel Marinov, Arseny Dukhno, Sergey Naidin, and Alena Glotova, who were granted Schengen visas, have arrived in The Netherlands. Five more Russian athletes who are to take part in the tournament - Lyudmila Roshchina, Milana Kayumova, Ilya Zaika, Savely Syedin, and Mukhammadzhon Yakubov - are awaiting their entry visas.

The tournament in Rotterdam will be the first stage of team qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Following the competition, the top three men’s and women’s teams will receive Olympic licenses.