Olympic silver medalist and World Championship bronze medalist Russian swimmer Evgeny Korotyshkin talked about the Russians’ decision not to participate in the World Championship, the last qualifying competition of the 2024 Paris Olympics. In addition to restrictions from international organizations and requirements for Russians, the issue of security at tournaments is also important, he told socialbites.ca.
“How can we talk about the real beginning of the 4-year period when there is no possibility of even participating in the Olympic Games? Now everyone understands that security is a priority. Even if you really want to perform and athletes have been preparing for these competitions all their lives, the safety issue has not been solved. “As much as we want to participate, we cannot risk the lives of the athletes,” Korotyshkin said.
In autumn 2023, World Aquatics allowed athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in competitions with neutral status. Currently, only swimmer Ivan Girev has the status of a neutral Russian athlete.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Russian athletes will be required to sign updated conditions of participation, which include a commitment to respect the Olympic Charter, including the “peaceful mission of the Olympic movement”. Russian athletes who rank well in their disciplines will be allowed to compete.
Formerly at the International Swimming Federation statedNone of the Russian athletes are registered for the World Aquatics Championships.