International Gymnast magazine:
Reigning World all-around champion Angelina Melnikova, Tokyo Olympic team champion Victoriia Listunova, and 2026 European all-around silver medalist Anna Kalmykova are to miss the 2026 World Championships in Rotterdam, October 17-25, after being denied visas, the Russian Gymnastics Federation announced today. ….
Breaking News: Russia’s Melnikova, Listunova and Kalmykova denied visas for World Championships
As I post, Daniel Marinov, Arsenii Dukhno, Sergei Naidin, Ilya Zaika and Saveli Syedin are approved for the Men.
Only 3 were able to make it to Rotterdam in time for Podium Training.
Alena Glotova, Lyudmila Roshchina, Milana Kayumova and Elizaveta Us have been approved for the women.
Hopefully there will be more last minute approvals.
Personally, I would have voted to continue the ban on Putin’s dictatorship until he ends the war. Recall they were already sanctioned for systematic doping even before Putin invaded Ukraine.
BUT — since World Gymnastics approved them, they should be at World Championships.
World Gymnastics should not host any event in Netherlands nor Indonesia (denying Israeli athletes in 2025) for many years to come.
I fear for Olympics 2028. What nations will Trump ban after a bad golf game?
NOW … if you want to discuss banning nations other than Russia, I’d like to participate. Personally I would ask how many children were killed by a nation’s armed forces when deciding on those bans.
Statement from the Local Organising Committee of the 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam
The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam has taken note of the announcement by the Russian Gymnastics Federation that three visa applications from members of the Russian delegation have been refused.
The assessment of visa applications and the decisions on whether to grant or refuse them are the sole responsibility of the relevant Dutch authorities. The LOC has no role in this decision-making process and is not involved in the assessment of individual visa applications.
As LOC, we have made every effort within our capacity to support and facilitate the participation of athletes and delegations. We respect the decisions made by the Dutch authorities.
Our position remains unchanged: all athletes eligible to compete under World Gymnastics regulations are welcome in Rotterdam, in accordance with applicable Dutch and European laws and regulations.
| World Gymnastics media statement regarding the refusal of visas to three Russian athletes set to participate at the 2026 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam. |
| Lausanne (SUI), 14 October 2026 – The issuance of visas to all participants is a process determined solely by the Dutch authorities. World Gymnastics is not in a position to explain why a select number of application requests have been refused. World Gymnastics remains in ongoing dialogue with the Dutch authorities, the Local Organising Committee, and the Russian Gymnastics Federation. World Gymnastics fully regrets the negative impact on the preparations of the Russian delegation and the confusion felt among the wider Artistic Gymnastics World Championships community. |
Thank you, Rick. I think we agree on something fundamental here: once World Gymnastics has determined that athletes are eligible to compete, they should have a fair opportunity to participate.
I would, however, distinguish between the various sanctions imposed on Russia over the past decade.
The restrictions arising from Russia’s state-sponsored doping scandal did not result in the collective exclusion of Russian artistic gymnasts. They continued to compete internationally, including at the Tokyo Olympics.
Their subsequent exclusion from international gymnastics followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The IOC’s suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee in October 2023 was a further, separate decision concerning its incorporation of sporting organisations from Ukrainian territories.
These distinctions matter because the reasons for restricting national representation are not necessarily reasons for excluding individual athletes.
I recognise the profound suffering caused by the war in Ukraine, and I understand why the participation of Russian athletes remains controversial.
But I also believe that international sport should operate according to clear, consistent and transparent principles.
If individual athletes are to be excluded, the reasons should be specific, properly evidenced and open to appropriate review.
Otherwise, we risk creating a situation in which eligibility is determined not by international sporting rules but by the political decisions of whichever country happens to host a competition.
That cannot be a satisfactory long-term arrangement for international sport.
The question for World Gymnastics, the IOC and future organisers is how to reconcile the legitimate concerns of host governments with the rights of athletes who have been declared eligible to compete.
This matters not only for Russian gymnasts, but for athletes of every nationality.
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Thanks for all your time following this issue. Certainly Trump could randomly ban athletes from the Olympics. Possibly Canada. Possibly GBR. … I’m not sure we are any further ahead, however. With Israeli athletes at Worlds 2025. Or with Russian athletes at Worlds 2026. I doubt China will refuse visas to anyone in 2027.
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