Ukraine condemns World Aquatics move to restore Russian, Belarusian symbols

Ukraine's Youth and Sports Ministry has strongly condemned the decision by World Aquatics to allow the return of national symbols for athletes from Russia and Belarus.

According to the ministry's press service, Youth and Sports Minister Matviy Bidny said legitimizing aggression through sport is unacceptable.

"The return of the flag of a country that despises these rules and systematically destroys them is an alarming signal for the entire sporting community. Today our athletes train under shelling, and against this backdrop any talk of 'neutrality' or the return of the aggressor state's symbols looks shameful and detached from reality," Bidny said.

According to him, "this decision devalues the memory of more than 650 Ukrainian athletes who will never compete again because of Russia's armed aggression."

"We call on the international community not to become accomplices in legitimizing aggression through the sporting achievements of athletes who are in fact part of Russia's propaganda machine," the minister said.

As reported, World Aquatics has changed its rules on athletes' participation during periods of political conflict, allowing adult athletes holding Belarusian or Russian sporting nationality to compete under their national flags.