Hot News
Russian, Belarusian swimmers banned from world championships
Agency Report
The International Swimming Federation (FINA) on Wednesday said it had reversed a decision to allow Russians and Belarusians to compete as neutrals at the world championships and was instead imposing a blanket ban.
FINA said in a statement that, following “an independent risk assessment” its board had “confirmed that athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus will not take part in the World Championships”.
The 2022 championships take place in Budapest from June 18-July 3.
FINA has fallen into line with other international sports bodies that banned Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine.
Russia responded to the ban by announcing that it was withdrawing from all competitions.
“Following these decisions, FINA was informed by the Russian Swimming Federation of the withdrawal of all Russian aquatics athletes from all FINA events for the rest of this year,” said the FINA statement.
At the beginning of March, FINA had followed judo, boxing and tennis and decided Russians and Belarusians could compete under a neutral flag.
That position became difficult to maintain in the face of protests from other national swimming bodies.
The Swiss Swimming Federation, for example, had threatened to boycott the world championships in the event of Russian and Belarussian participation.
FINA had already decided to move events Russia was due to host, including the short-course world championships scheduled for Kazan in December.
It also said that “separately”, FINA “has opened a procedure against Russian swimmer Evgeny Rylov for a potential violation of the FINA rules following his alleged participation in a pro-war rally at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.”
Rylov is reigning Olympic champion in the 100m and 200m backstroke.
AFP
-
News14 hours ago
EFCC boss to pay 17-year-old hacker’s school fees
-
Metro18 hours ago
Fuel queues: Lagos laments traffic jams, threatens unorganized petrol stations
-
News17 hours ago
African countries frustrate Air Peace with high charges – Onyema
-
News14 hours ago
Peter Obi replies Umahi, denies inciting southeast against FG
-
News12 hours ago
Nigerians face ‘anointing oil’ price hike amid Olive oil scarcity
-
News18 hours ago
2024 UTME results not available on website yet – JAMB
-
News18 hours ago
Obi blames bad road, insecurity as 35 die in Kogi, Enugu
-
News12 hours ago
JUST IN: UniAbuja ASUU declares indefinite strike