(Reuters) – Russian and Belarusian gymnasts will be allowed to compete as “individual neutral athletes” at events organised by the governing body from next January, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said on Wednesday.
The FIG Executive Committee (EC) decided that Russian and Belarusian gymnasts may compete as long as they are not associated with their countries’ gymnastics federations, their national federations and Olympic committees.
FIG’s decision comes a year after it banned athletes from both nations following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Belarus has been used as a staging area for the invasion, which Moscow calls a “special military operation.”.
Gymnasts from the two countries will be able to participate in qualifying competitions for next year’s Olympics in Paris, but the decision on their eligibility for the Games will be the responsibility of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the FIG added.
“Any athlete wishing to obtain the status of ‘individual neutral athlete’ will have to apply to the FIG in accordance with the ad-hoc rules,” FIG said in a statement.
“Athletes who are granted this status will be eligible to participate in FIG sanctioned events from 1 January 2024.”
FIG President Morinari Watanabe added: “By accepting Russian and Belarusian gymnasts to participate in competitions as independent neutral athletes, the FIG is ensuring that the rights of all athletes are respected and is sending a message to the world that gymnastics is seeking peace.”
IOC issued recommendations earlier this year to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete as neutrals, as long as they are not affiliated with their nations’ militaries.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
