World Gymnastics lifts all restrictions on Russian, Belarusian athletes

World Gymnastics has lifted all restrictions on Russian and Belarusian athletes, allowing them to return to international competitions ‌under their national flags with immediate effect, it said on Monday.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, athletes from ​both nations were banned in ​March, 2022 but they had been permitted to compete as neutral ​participants from late 2024. Gymnastics is ⁠not the ⁠only sport to ‌ease its restrictions recently. World Aquatics ended its neutral status guidelines in April, allowing senior Russian and Belarusian swimmers ⁠to wear their national colors and hear their anthems, and United World Wrestling fully ‌reinstated both nations across all age categories last week.

The reversal applies across all five disciplines governed by World Gymnastics, including ​artistic, rhythmic, acrobatic and aerobic gymnastics as well ⁠as trampolining. Russia has traditionally been a ⁠country strong in gymnastics, winning two golds ⁠and ⁠10 medals ​overall at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics competing under ​the Russian ⁠Olympic Committee banner before being banned from the 2024 Paris Games.

World Gymnastics did not immediately respond to a request for comment.