Russia and Belarus Set for Rotterdam

Viktoria Listunova © Pinterest

Russian and Belarusian gymnasts are set to compete at the 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships under neutral designations, with the championships taking place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, from October 17 to 25.

World Gymnastics confirmed that athletes representing Russia and Belarus will not compete under their national flags. Instead, Russian athletes will appear as World Gymnastics 2 (WG2), while Belarusian athletes will compete as World Gymnastics 1 (WG1).

The arrangement follows the approach used at the 2026 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, in August. Russian men and women competed there as WG2 and reached several podiums.

A change in World Gymnastics policy

The neutral designation comes after World Gymnastics lifted its previous restrictions on Russian and Belarusian athletes in May 2026.

However, the organization has noted that events allocated before that decision may require additional flexibility when government restrictions or other binding regulations apply.

The upcoming World Championships are being held in the Netherlands, where European Union sanctions against Russia and Belarus remain strictly enforced. The Netherlands has also been a strong political, financial, and military supporter of Ukraine.

Despite the neutral designations used during competition, World Gymnastics said it will continue to refer to the two federations as Russia and Belarus in its own communications.

Visa questions remain

The athletes’ participation also comes with a practical question still surrounding the championships: visas.

According to reports cited by Gymnastics Now, some Russian gymnasts had not yet received visas for the Rotterdam competition. Similar difficulties affected Russian athletes at the European Championships in Croatia, where Olympic champion Viktoria Listunova was reportedly denied a Croatian visa.

The situation remains developing, and further information about the Russian delegation’s travel arrangements could emerge before the championships begin.

What to expect in Rotterdam

The 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships will bring the world’s leading gymnasts together in Rotterdam from October 17 through 25. For Russian and Belarusian athletes, the competition will have an additional layer of significance as they return to the world stage under neutral designations.

Their results will count as part of the World Championships competition, but their national flags will not appear alongside their performances or podium appearances.

The final composition of the delegations — and whether all selected athletes are able to reach the Netherlands — will become clearer as the October 17 opening approaches.

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By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer