by Athletes from Russia and Belarus, if allowed to compete as neutral athletes, can now form swimming relays, synchronized diving pairs, and artistic swimming duets and teams at world aquatic events.
This week, World Aquatics put into effect guidelines for the participation of neutral athletes from a “conflicting nation”, which now concerns two nations: Belarus and Russia.
World Aquatics confirmed on Wednesday that under these guidelines, approved neutral athletes can now form swimming relays, synchronized diving pairs and artistic swimming duets and teams at world aquatic events such as the World Championships and the World Cups. Relays, pairs, pairs and teams must be made up of athletes from the same country.
Previously, aquatic athletes from Russia and Belarus were only allowed to apply to compete as neutral athletes in individual events since September 2023.
Athletes must still meet specific criteria, including not supporting the war in Ukraine.
Neutral athletes remain excluded from water polo because this discipline “intrinsically involves, among other things, physical contact between athletes,” according to World Aquatics.
As of October 2814 completely neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus were allowed to compete in major global aquatic events, all swimmers: six from Russia and eight from Belarus.
At the Paris Olympics, four neutral athletes competed in individual swimming events – three from Belarus and one from Russia – with a best finish of eighth.
The ability of approved neutral athletes to compete in duo and team artistic swimming events for the first time since the start of the war in 2022 could have a significant impact.
Russian artistic swimmers won every gold medal in the sport’s two Olympic events – pair and team – from 2000 to the 2020 Tokyo Games. In Tokyo, Russian athletes competed under the name of the Olympic Committee Russian and without the Russian flag and anthem due to doping violations in the country.
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