World Aquatics, the governing body of swimming, has recently made adjustments to its rules regarding the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in international competitions. Athletes from these countries who have been competing as neutrals in individual events during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine are now permitted to join team events such as swim relays, artistic swimming, and synchronized diving.
Prior to the Paris Olympics, various sports organizations, including aquatics, followed guidance from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and carefully evaluated individual athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports to determine their eligibility to compete. The IOC emphasized that a blanket ban on these athletes would constitute discrimination, although World Athletics, governing body for track and field, opted for a different approach by imposing a complete ban.
Under the neutrality rules, approved athletes must refrain from publicly supporting the invasion of Ukraine and must not have affiliations with military or state security agencies. During the Paris Olympics, four swimmers - one from Russia and three from Belarus - participated as neutral individuals, devoid of national identity in terms of team colors, flag, or anthem. However, they did not secure any medals.
Currently, the list of neutral athletes approved for aquatics includes seven swimmers from Russia, seven from Belarus, three divers from Russia, and three artistic swimmers from Belarus. Despite the relaxation of rules for individual athletes, the IOC has advised against allowing Russia and Belarus to participate in team sports. As a result, these countries are still excluded from international water polo due to the physical nature of the sport, which involves significant contact between athletes, as outlined in the World Aquatics guidelines.
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