The Finnish Swimming Federation appeals to the International Swimming Federation to prevent Russians and Belarusians from returning to swimming competitions.
The Finnish Swimming Federation rejects the International Swimming Federation’s plans to allow Russians and Belarusians to return to swimming competitions. World aquatics is allowing the return of Russians and Belarusians as neutral athletes. The national anthems or national flags of Russia or Belarus will not be performed at the games.
Swimmers from Russia and Belarus were banned from international competitions in the spring of 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. Now, the strict alignment made earlier is therefore going to be reversed.
The Finnish Swimming Federation rejects the intentions of the International Swimming Federation.
– The decision is regrettable and very questionable. The war situation has not gotten any better, on the contrary, it has gotten worse. There are no grounds for loosening the guidelines made earlier, the chairman of the Finnish Swimming Association Ville Riekkinen stress.
The Nordic countries have opposed the return of Russians and Belarusians as one front.
– The Finnish Swimming Federation strongly agrees with the statement of the Nordic Olympic Committees, according to which now is not the time for the return of Russians and Belarusians. We have influenced in many different ways that such a decision would not be made, says Riekkinen.
The International Olympic Committee also gets a kick out of it
Riekkinen thinks that even the International Olympic Committee does not get clean papers.
– I think this shows a lack of leadership on the part of the International Olympic Committee when such a decision is delegated to international sports federations, Riekkinen states.
According to Riekkinen’s understanding, the European member countries of the International Swimming Federation have opposed the return of Russians and Belarusians, but remained in the minority in decision-making.
– We will still be in Europe to discuss whether some methods are still available. The International Swimming Federation has the right to decide on the matter, but we will see if there is still something that can be done.
In Finland, it is hoped that the International Swimming Federation will reconsider the matter.
– We will influence that this happens. It remains to be seen, but the discussion on this issue must continue, Riekkinen emphasizes.
With the policies now made, the Russians and Belarusians will return to the competition arenas at the end of October at the World Cup in Budapest. Russia and Belarus would get one swimmer in each sport.
Russians and Belarusians are still not allowed to participate in team sports. This is how they are not seen, for example, in swimming relays, freestyle swimming or water polo.