Russia, after returning to World Aquatics, wants major European and world competitions
The Russian Aquatics Federation is again trying to open the door to major international competitions in Russia, less than two months after World Aquatics lifted restrictions on Russian and Belarusian senior athletes and restored full membership rights to their national federations. According to a statement by the president of the Russian Aquatics Federation, Dmitry Mazepin, reported by TASS on June 4, 2026, a proposal is on the table to organize European and world championships in Russia. Mazepin spoke about this in Saint Petersburg, at a panel held as part of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum. For now, his statement is primarily a political-sporting announcement of Russian ambitions, because World Aquatics, in publicly available announcements up to June 8, 2026, has not published a separate document confirming the concrete selection of a Russian city as host. Nevertheless, the very fact that such a possibility is again being discussed at the highest level shows how quickly Russia's position in aquatic sports is changing after years of isolation connected with the war in Ukraine.
Mazepin speaks about a proposal, but the host city has not yet been determined
According to TASS, Mazepin stated that there is already a proposal to organize European and world championships in Russia. He added that World Aquatics, according to him, no longer wants Kazan as the venue, while Moscow currently does not have a suitable offer of facilities. Such wording leaves several open questions: it is not clear whether the proposal refers to full championships in all disciplines under the umbrella of World Aquatics or to individual competitions, nor has it been officially confirmed which years might be discussed. The Russian minister of sport and president of the Russian Olympic Committee, Mikhail Degtyarev, according to the same TASS report, suggested considering Yekaterinburg as a possible solution, namely the aquatics center built for the Universiade that was later canceled. This shifted the discussion from the level of the general reintegration of Russian sport to the more concrete issue of infrastructure, logistics and the international acceptability of a potential host.
Kazan's aquatic facilities have for years been an important symbol of Russian ambitions in swimming sports, but Mazepin's statement indicates that the international federation, at least according to the Russian interpretation of the talks, could seek an alternative. Moscow would nominally have larger transport and hotel infrastructure, but Russian officials themselves now state that the capital does not have enough ready or suitable facilities for such a level of competition. Yekaterinburg is therefore emerging as a compromise option: it is a large urban center in the Urals, with newer sports facilities and experience in preparing for major international events. But the choice of city would not be only a technical matter. Any hosting in Russia, especially in an Olympic sport, would be viewed through the broader political context, the reactions of other national federations and the positions of the organizers of continental competitions.
A reversal after World Aquatics' decision of April 13
The key change occurred on April 13, 2026, when World Aquatics announced that the guidelines for athlete participation during periods of political conflict would no longer apply to senior athletes with Russian and Belarusian sporting nationality. In its official announcement, the federation stated that those athletes would be able to compete in World Aquatics competitions in the same way as athletes of other nationalities, with their own uniforms, flags and anthems. By the same decision, according to World Aquatics, Russia and Belarus again received full membership rights under Article 6 of the organization's constitution. This was a turn away from the neutral-status regime that had limited the appearances of Russian and Belarusian athletes for years. The decision is important because World Aquatics governs not only swimming, but also water polo, diving, artistic swimming, open water swimming and high diving.
World Aquatics nevertheless retained certain conditions, above all for the integrity and safety of competitions. According to the official announcement, Russian and Belarusian athletes may compete only after passing at least four consecutive anti-doping tests carried out in cooperation with the International Testing Agency and after checks conducted by the Aquatics Integrity Unit. The organization also stated that more than 700 checks of athletes with Russian or Belarusian sporting nationality had been carried out in the previous period. World Aquatics president Husain Al Musallam said that the organization wants pools and open waters to remain places of peaceful international competition. Critics, however, believe that such reasoning overlooks the war context in which the original suspension was introduced.
From a ban on symbols to the full flag and anthem
At the beginning of March 2022, after the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the then FINA, today's World Aquatics, announced that athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus could not compete under their national name, flag, colors or anthem. In the same announcement, the federation withdrew the FINA Order award given to Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2014. In later phases, the ban changed: first, models for the return of individual athletes as neutral competitors were considered, and then the conditions were gradually expanded to team competitions as well. According to World Aquatics announcements, in November 2025 neutral athletes were allowed to participate in all water polo competitions and team disciplines, under the neutrality conditions then in force. April 2026 was therefore not an isolated decision, but the final phase of the gradual easing of restrictions in an important Olympic sport.
This change also has symbolic weight. For Russia, competing under national symbols is not only a sporting issue, but part of a broader strategy of returning to international organizations ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Mazepin, according to reports by several media outlets, had earlier spoken openly about efforts to restore Russian athletes to full status by that cycle. On the other hand, some sports institutions and national federations continue to apply stricter policies than World Aquatics. This means that international sport is not creating a single line, but a mosaic of rules that differ from sport to sport and from continent to continent.
The European level remains more sensitive than the global one
The position of European Aquatics, the continental organization responsible for European competitions in aquatic sports, is especially important. On May 1, 2026, that organization announced that it had asked World Aquatics to delay the implementation of the new rule on the full participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in European competitions. According to European Aquatics' announcement, the request refers to the rule not being implemented under European jurisdiction before September 1, 2026. The organization thereby wanted to avoid changing the rules in the middle of the season and before the completion of major European competitions. Such a request shows that Russia's reintegration at the global level does not automatically mean an uncomplicated return to the European competition system.
For Russian hosting ambitions, this is important for at least two reasons. First, European championships depend on the political and organizational assessment of European Aquatics, and not only on the mood within World Aquatics. Second, individual European federations and hosts could have different views on participation or travel to Russia, especially while the war in Ukraine continues. According to available information, there is no public confirmation that European Aquatics has accepted any Russian plan to host a senior European championship. Therefore, Mazepin's statements can for now be read as lobbying and positioning, not as a final decision by international bodies. The European level will probably be the most difficult test for any attempt to bring a major competition back to Russia.
Ukraine and some athletes sharply criticize Russia's return
World Aquatics' decision triggered sharp reactions in Ukraine. According to an ABC News report, Ukrainian minister of youth and sport Matviy Bidnyi condemned the return of the Russian flag and said that sport must be based on fair rules and respect for life. ABC also reported that the Ukrainian men's water polo team in April 2026 refused to start a World Cup match against the Russian team, which was then competing under a neutral designation, as a result of which Russia was awarded a 5:0 win. The Guardian also reported criticism from Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych, who called the World Aquatics decision unacceptable and warned that sports platforms can be used for political propaganda. Such reactions indicate that Russia's return will not be only an administrative matter of membership, but also a continuing source of tension at competitions.
World Aquatics, in its official statements, emphasizes that it wants to protect sports venues from political conflict, but for Ukrainian athletes and officials precisely that separation is difficult to maintain. Their argument starts from the fact that competitions, travel and preparations take place in a reality marked by war, the destruction of sports infrastructure and losses among athletes. Because of this, every decision on the return of Russian symbols is perceived not only as sporting liberalization, but also as a message about where international federations draw the line between sport and politics. This clash of interpretations will probably also accompany every discussion about possible hosting in Russia.
The calendar of major competitions leaves little room
Even if political obstacles were reduced, the calendar of major competitions in aquatic sports is already partly filled. World Aquatics has confirmed that the 2027 World Championships will be held in Budapest, with competitions from June 26 to July 18, 2027, and the same competition in 2029 has been awarded to Beijing. For the end of 2026, the World Swimming Championships in 25-meter pools in Beijing have also been confirmed, from December 1 to 6. This means that any Russian bid for the largest senior world competitions would realistically have to target later dates or a different type of event under the umbrella of World Aquatics. In that sense, the mention of European and world championships can include several possible formats, from individual disciplines to future editions of major multisport competitions in water.
Hosting such competitions requires much more than an Olympic-size pool. The organizer must provide accommodation, transport, security, television production, anti-doping procedures, medical and accreditation systems, and cooperation with national federations. For competitions that include several disciplines, a combination of indoor pools, water polo venues, diving platforms, spaces for artistic swimming and open-water locations is also necessary. In its announcements, World Aquatics emphasizes that world championships bring together more than 200 countries and thousands of athletes, which makes the organizational pressure significantly greater than that of a regular international meet. Because of this, any Russian bid will have to be convincing technically, and not only politically.
The new Russian federation wants a stronger international position
The Russian Aquatics Federation in its current form is a relatively new organization. According to reports by TASS and Russian media, in October 2024 the former federations for swimming, synchronized or artistic swimming, water polo and diving were merged, and Dmitry Mazepin was elected head of the new body. Such a structure brought the Russian system closer to the World Aquatics model, which brings together six aquatic disciplines under one roof. In practical terms, a unified federation can more easily conduct international negotiations, coordinate the calendar and develop bids for major competitions. In political terms, it allows Russian demands toward international bodies to be presented more uniformly than before.
Mazepin is also known outside the sports system, as a businessman connected with the chemical industry, and after 2024 he became one of the more visible Russian sports lobbyists. His statements about hosting should be read in that context: they are not only an announcement of a possible event, but also a signal to the domestic public that Russian sport is emerging from isolation. Still, there is a long process between a political message and obtaining hosting rights. Decisions by international bodies, contracts with organizers, an acceptable calendar, security assessments and the willingness of other national teams to participate are required. It is currently confirmed that Russia again has membership rights in World Aquatics; it has not been confirmed that it has been awarded the hosting of a major European or world championship.
A test for international sport ahead of Los Angeles 2028
The discussion about Russian hosting in aquatic sports fits into a broader change in the international sports order before the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. In May 2026, the International Olympic Committee lifted the recommended restrictions for Belarusian athletes, but according to the announcement at the time it did not change the recommendations for Russian athletes. At the same time, some major federations, such as World Aquatics, have gone further toward the full return of Russia and Belarus, while others continue to maintain stricter bans. Such differences create an uneven system in which the same political and ethical problem receives different sporting responses. In that environment, any decision on organizing a competition in Russia would have consequences beyond swimming itself.
For World Aquatics, eventual approval of Russian hosting would be proof that the restoration of membership is not only formal. For Russia, it would be a major symbolic recognition and confirmation that the country is returning not only as a participant, but also as an organizer. For Ukraine and allies who oppose the normalization of Russian sport, such a move would probably open a new round of pressure, boycotts or political reactions. That is why Mazepin's statement is important even though it does not in itself mean that the championship will actually be held in Russia. It shows the next phase of the dispute: after the question of whether Russian athletes may compete under the flag, the question is now opening of whether Russia may again be the host of major competitions.
Sources:
- World Aquatics – decision of April 13, 2026 on amending the guidelines for Russian and Belarusian athletes and restoring membership rights (link)
- TASS – report on Dmitry Mazepin's statement at the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum and possible hosting in Russia (link)
- European Aquatics – request to delay implementation of the new rule on athlete participation from Russia and Belarus until September 1, 2026 (link)
- World Aquatics – announcement from March 2022 on the ban on national symbols for Russian and Belarusian athletes and the withdrawal of the award from Vladimir Putin (link)
- ABC News / AP – report on the lifting of restrictions, Ukraine's reactions and conditions for the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes (link)
- World Aquatics – schedule of the World Aquatics Championships Budapest 2027 (link)
- World Aquatics – confirmation of Beijing as host of the World Aquatics Championships 2029 (link)
- World Aquatics – confirmation of dates for the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) Beijing 2026 (link)
- International Olympic Committee – announcement of May 7, 2026 on lifting recommended restrictions for Belarusian athletes, with an unchanged regime for Russia (link)
- TASS – report on the merger of Russian aquatic sports federations and the election of Dmitry Mazepin (link)