--- title: "Flag or Neutrality: Which Federations Have Restored Russians' Right to National Symbols" description: "International federations have begun restoring Russian athletes' right to compete under the flag and anthem. Wrestling, gymnastics, and swimming have already lifted some restrictions, which has sparked criticism from Ukrainian athletes and experts. πŸ‡·πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦πŸ₯Š" date: 2026-07-20T10:38:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/federations-restored-russians-right-to-national-symbols tags: [world-aquatics, united-world-wrestling, world-gymnastics, fie, olympic-committee] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Flag or Neutrality: Which Federations Have Restored Russians' Right to National Symbols ![ROC sports delegation at the Olympic Games with flag and Olympic rings](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/20/federalii-vernuli-rossiyanam-pravo-na-natsionalnuyu-simvoliku/federalii-vernuli-rossiyanam-pravo-na-natsionalnuyu-simvoliku-1.webp) A complex process of reviewing the rules for admitting athletes from Russia is unfolding in the world of sports. After the International Olympic Committee (IOC) transferred the authority to admit Russian athletes to the relevant federations in early July, the situation began to change. While the status of neutral athletes previously dominated, a number of international organizations have now decided to restore athletes' right to compete under their own symbols. ### Aquatic Sports: The First Step Towards Returning the Flag Even before the official IOC decision, in April, World Aquatics took an unprecedented step. The federation decided to return the right for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under national flags. However, this step was not unconditional: the organization introduced a strict filter. Now, every athlete undergoes a check for support of military aggression, as well as enhanced control for the use of prohibited substances. ### Wrestling and Gymnastics: Full Restoration of Rights More radical decisions were made in other disciplines. United World Wrestling completely abolished all previously introduced restrictions. Russian wrestlers were allowed to compete under their own flag, hear the national anthem, and use the abbreviation "RUS" in competition protocols. World Gymnastics chose a similar path. In May, the organization voted to restore the right to national symbols for athletes from Russia and Belarus. Notably, the European Gymnastics Federation also voted for this decision, which caused a stormy reaction in Ukrainian sports circles. Stella Zakharova, Vice-President of the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation, harshly criticized the position of world officials. On her social media, she noted that Ukrainian federations had exhausted all possibilities to fight this decision, trying to explain to the world that "sport is separate from politics" cannot be a justification when athletes from a country whose cities are under daily shelling stand next to the flag of the aggressor. ### Fencing and the Reaction of Olympic Champions In the summer, the International Fencing Federation (FIE) joined the trend of returning the flag. Russians were allowed to compete under the national flag at World Championships, although a separate regulation currently applies to European competitions. Experts do not rule out that in the future, the European federation may synchronize its rules with the global ones. This decision elicited an emotional response from two-time Olympic fencing champion Olga Kharlan. She emphasized that this is not about politics, but about a moral choice. According to the athlete, ignoring the pain and tragedy of the Ukrainian people in favor of sports protocols causes her not only anger but also deep disappointment in the fairness of the sporting world. ### Disagreements Continue Despite the fact that some federations have already given the "green light," others continue to adhere to a principled position. The sports world remains divided: where some see a return to tradition and equality, others see the ignoring of a humanitarian catastrophe. The future participation of Russian athletes in major tournaments will depend on how quickly the remaining federations make decisions similar to those already made in wrestling, gymnastics, and aquatic sports.