World Aquatics Bureau approves a task
force to explore a potential pathway for Russian and Belarusian athletes to be
invited to compete at future international aquatics events.
LAUSANNE – The World Aquatics Bureau
met today and gave its support to the statement made by the IOC Executive Board
on 28 March 2023 regarding the potential future participation of athletes from
Russia and Belarus in international competitions.
This statement followed the request
from the majority of the Olympic movement stakeholders to the IOC to explore
the potential return of athletes from Russia and Belarus to international
sports events, based on the principles of the Olympic Charter.
The World Aquatics Bureau approved
the establishment of a task force to explore a potential pathway for athletes
with a Russian or Belarusian passport to participate in future international
aquatics events as individual neutral athletes.
The task force, made up of athletes
and representatives from across the aquatics community and chaired by Maureen
Croes, the President of Panam Aquatics, will begin work immediately on
developing a recommendation to the World Aquatics Bureau.
The World Aquatics Bureau notes that
the task force will need to take time to come to its conclusions, and will
report back at the next Bureau meeting in July 2023.
Previous World Aquatics Bureau
Decisions on the Non-Invitation of Russian and Belarusian Athletes and
Officials at World Aquatics Events
Following Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine, the World Aquatics Bureau approved key measures to protect World
Aquatics events and athlete welfare. These included the Bureau passing a new
bylaw on 8 March 2022 that gave World Aquatics the power to review the
participation of athletes and officials at World Aquatics events on a case-by-case
basis in emergency situations, such as the current war in Ukraine.
On 23 March 2022, the World Aquatics
Bureau made further decisions on Russian and Belarusian athletes and event
hosting that included the confirmation that athletes and officials from Russia
and Belarus could not take part at the World Aquatics Championships – Budapest
2022.
The World Aquatics Bureau’s decision
to not invite athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus to World Aquatics
events remains in effect today.
World Aquatics Reaffirms Commitment
to Ukrainian Athletes
World Aquatics reaffirms its
steadfast commitment and concern for Ukraine, notably on Ukrainian aquatics
athletes impacted by the invasion of their country. Ukrainian aquatics athletes
continue to receive support from World Aquatics and its partners, notably LEN
and the Ukraine Swimming, Diving and Artistic Swimming Federations, for
training and competition.
World Aquatics will continue to
prioritise measures aimed at supporting the Ukrainian aquatics community, alongside
national swimming federations, National Olympic Committees, the International
Olympic Committee and LEN.
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