The European Gymnastics federation has voted to lift all sanctions against athletes from Russia and Belarus, according to the organization’s official website. This decision follows an online meeting held on May 21, where a 48-hour voting period concluded with a commitment to align with World Gymnastics in removing these restrictions.
European Gymnastics explained that the precautionary measures implemented by World Gymnastics are no longer in effect following a decision made on May 18. The federation plans to ratify the necessary changes during an extraordinary online General Assembly meeting.
Since mid-May, World Gymnastics has permitted athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete without the restrictions that had been in place since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This includes the use of national symbols, such as anthems and flags, across all disciplines and international events sanctioned by the organization.
The new ruling will apply to all sports governed by the continental body, including artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline, sports acrobatics, and aerobics.
As a result, athletes from Russia and Belarus will be able to compete without restrictions at the upcoming European Gymnastics Championships this year. The men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics championships are set to take place in Zagreb in August, while the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships will commence in Varna, Bulgaria, on May 27.
Earlier in May, the International Olympic Committee recommended that federations lift all restrictions on Belarusian athletes, which had been in place since 2022. However, no similar recommendations were made regarding Russian athletes.
European Gymnastics has officially lifted sanctions on Russian and Belarusian athletes, allowing them to compete freely in upcoming championships. This decision aligns with recent changes made by World Gymnastics, which removed previous restrictions on these athletes.