The World Aquatics federation may decide within the coming year to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete again under its banner. This potential shift was disclosed in an interview with Swimming World, spoken by Hussein Al-Mussalam, the president of World Aquatics, who laid out the organization’s current thinking and the steps being taken to gauge public sentiment.
Al-Mussalam noted that the federation had previously maintained a firm stance against admitting athletes from the two nations. He explained that in April he directed the federation’s bureau to establish a working group tasked with examining the issue in detail. The goal of the group is to review the posture, assess official policy, and chart a path forward that reflects both sporting integrity and the evolving geopolitical context.
According to the president, Maureen Cruz was appointed to lead this working group, and her team is deeply engaged in outreach. The group conducts interviews and gathers a broad range of opinions from stakeholders within the sport, athletes, national federations, coaches, and fans. The emphasis, he said, is to listen carefully to as many voices as possible and to understand the varied perspectives that exist across the global aquatic community.
While no final decision has been announced, Al-Mussalam indicated that a resolution is anticipated within the year. He framed the timeline as a careful, data-driven process rather than a rushed political judgement, underscoring that the integrity of competition and the safety and fairness of athletes remain central to any policy change. The federation intends to base its eventual judgment on a comprehensive review of evidence, feedback from participants, and ongoing monitoring of events on the ground.
Historically, Russian swimmers were barred from participating in World Championships and European Championships starting in March 2022 due to the international response to the Ukraine conflict. The continuation of those prohibitions has been a defining element of World Aquatics policy over the past years, shaping the competitive landscape and the experiences of athletes preparing for major events. The evolving stance, if any, aims to balance sanctions considerations with opportunities for talented swimmers to compete again under a neutral or specified framework should the policy shift.
A separate note within the broader sports landscape highlighted by the federation concerns the public discourse around athletes and national representation. In related sports news, a former Russian-speaking Olympic tennis champion faced allegations related to domestic violence. This development, while separate from World Aquatics’ governance, underscores the heightened attention on athletes’ conduct and the broader impact of geopolitical tensions on sports personalities.