Russian and Belarusian rhythmic gymnasts can again compete under national symbols at the European Championships in Varna
Russian and Belarusian rhythmic gymnasts will be able to compete under national flags and with state symbols at the European Championships in Rhythmic Gymnastics, which will be held from 27 to 31 May 2026 in Varna, Bulgaria. This follows from the decision of European Gymnastics, the continental organization that announced on 24 May that it would follow the decision of World Gymnastics to lift all special restrictions on athletes from Russia and Belarus. The decision enters into force immediately before the start of the competition in the Bulgarian city on the Black Sea, which is why Varna will be one of the first major European gymnastics competitions where this change can be seen in practice. According to the announcement by European Gymnastics, its Executive Committee held an extraordinary online meeting on 21 May, and after the mandatory 48-hour period for electronic voting, it was confirmed that the restrictions related to the participation of Russian and Belarusian representatives would be lifted. The decision still needs to be ratified at an extraordinary online General Assembly of European Gymnastics, but the organization stated in its official communication that it would apply immediately.
The decision was made several days before the start of the championship
The European Championships in Rhythmic Gymnastics in Varna are being held in the senior and junior categories, and the official schedule of European Gymnastics states that the competition lasts from 27 to 31 May 2026. The host is the Bulgarian city of Varna, and the venue is the Palace of Culture and Sports at Kniaz Boris I 115, one of the best-known sports and cultural centers in the city. The organizers have also announced television and online broadcasts of part of the competition, along with a live results system. Since the decision on Russian and Belarusian athletes applies immediately before the start of the championship, its practical effect could already be visible in entries, equipment, official announcements and possible ceremonies in Varna. For visitors traveling to the Bulgarian coastal city for the competition, it is natural to check in good time accommodation in Varna near the championship venue, especially because the event is taking place at the end of May, at a time when the tourist season on the Black Sea is gradually gathering pace.
According to the official website of European Gymnastics, the competition in Varna includes a senior and junior program, and the schedule is tied to local Bulgarian summer time, namely GMT+3. European Gymnastics also emphasized that some content will be available through its own channels and partner platforms, while the senior finals on 30 and 31 May will be produced for television broadcast and online streaming through Eurovision Sport. Such details further show that this is not only a sporting issue, but also an organizational challenge for the host, the continental federation and national federations, which now have to implement the rule change at very short notice. In rhythmic gymnastics, visual identity, leotards, flags and musical protocol carry special symbolic weight, so the return of national symbols of Russia and Belarus is not merely an administrative change. It also changes the public perception of a competition taking place in a period of still strong political and sporting debates about the consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
European Gymnastics follows the decision of World Gymnastics
The key turning point came after World Gymnastics, the international federation also known by the abbreviation FIG, announced on 18 May 2026 that it was lifting the restrictions that had applied to Russian and Belarusian athletes since February 2022. According to the official communication of European Gymnastics, the decision of World Gymnastics removed the so-called ad hoc rules, and European Gymnastics has now decided to follow that position. This means that Russian and Belarusian representatives in gymnastics competitions are no longer treated under a special regime that restricted the use of national symbols, flags and anthems. Under the previous system, some athletes could compete only under neutral status, after a vetting procedure and without national symbols. According to a report by Gymnastics Now, the decision of the Executive Committee of World Gymnastics ended the special rules that had until then regulated the status of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions.
In its announcement, European Gymnastics stated two important points: first, that it would follow the decision of World Gymnastics to lift all restrictions applicable to the participation of Russia and Belarus, and second, that this decision would subsequently be ratified at an extraordinary online General Assembly. Such wording shows that the continental organization decided to align its own competition system with the rules of the international federation, instead of introducing a separate European restriction. In practice, this opens the door to full participation by Russian and Belarusian gymnasts in European competitions under the authority of European Gymnastics, including the championship in Varna. Although the official announcement did not explain the reasons for the change in detail, it fits into a broader trend of gradual easing of restrictions in some international sports federations. At the same time, the decision remains politically sensitive because it concerns athletes from countries that have been under special sporting sanctions since 2022 because of the war in Ukraine.
What changes for athletes from Russia and Belarus
The most visible change concerns the right to compete under national flags and with national symbols. In sporting protocol, this can mean the use of the official country designation in start lists, results and ceremonies, as well as the possibility of playing the national anthem in the event of winning a gold medal, if the organizational rules of the competition provide for it. During the period of special restrictions, Russian and Belarusian athletes could not compete with such symbols, and their participation was conditioned by neutral status and additional eligibility rules. According to reports from specialized gymnastics media, the system of authorized neutral athletes was introduced to allow individuals who had not publicly supported the war to have limited participation in international competitions. With the abolition of that system in gymnastics, the position of national federations also changes, because athletes can once again appear as representatives of their countries.
For rhythmic gymnastics, such a change carries particular weight because Russia has for decades been one of the most successful powers in the sport. Russian rhythmic gymnasts regularly won medals at the Olympic Games, world championships and European championships, and the Russian school of rhythmic gymnastics strongly influenced technical standards, choreography and the development of the discipline. Belarus also had a recognizable tradition and a number of internationally successful athletes. Their full return to the European scene could raise the sporting level of competition, but also increase political tension around the event. For other national teams, this means a different balance of power, especially in disciplines in which Russian gymnasts have traditionally been among the favorites. For the organizers, meanwhile, it means the need to ensure the implementation of rules, the safety of competitors and clear communication of protocol to teams, media and the public.
The war in Ukraine and sporting sanctions remain in the background of the decision
Restrictions on Russian and Belarusian athletes were introduced after the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In many international sports, Russian and Belarusian national teams were then banned from competing, while individuals in some disciplines were later able to compete only as neutral athletes and without national symbols. Belarus was included in these measures because its territory was used in the context of the Russian attack on Ukraine, which international sports organizations generally took into account when determining sanctions. In gymnastics, after the initial ban, a neutral model was gradually established, but the latest decision of World Gymnastics goes a step further and abolishes the special restrictions in their entirety. According to the available information, World Gymnastics did not offer a detailed political or legal explanation for such a shift in its brief official announcement.
Ukrainian institutions and sports organizations have previously opposed the easing of sporting sanctions against Russia and Belarus, arguing that the return of national symbols would enable the political normalization of aggression. In the broader sporting context, similar decisions by other international federations have provoked criticism from Ukrainian athletes and officials, especially when they included flags and anthems. According to reports by international media, Ukrainian sports officials warned that sport cannot be separated from the consequences of war while Ukrainian athletes train and compete under extraordinary circumstances. On the other hand, advocates of the return of athletes from Russia and Belarus argue that individuals should not be permanently punished for the decisions of their governments, especially if they compete in sports in which performance depends on many years of personal work and a short career span. It is precisely this conflict between individual sporting rights and the political responsibility of states that remains at the center of the debate.
Varna becomes a test for a new phase of European gymnastics
The championship in Varna now gains an additional dimension because sporting results will be viewed alongside the question of how the new rules will be applied in a real competitive environment. The organizers must align protocol, official designations, communication and possible ceremonies with a decision made only a few days before the start of the program. European Gymnastics has already announced that the competition will be held in senior and junior categories, which means that the change does not affect only the elite senior level, but also younger athletes who are only making their way toward the highest level. Junior competitions in recent months have been an important part of the debate on the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes, because some international organizations distinguished between minors and senior competitors. In Varna, however, the decision of European Gymnastics will apply to the competition as a whole, within the framework of the rules arising from the decision of World Gymnastics.
For Bulgaria, which has a strong tradition in rhythmic gymnastics, the championship is both a sporting and organizationally important event. Varna is already known as a host of international competitions, and the Bulgarian public traditionally follows rhythmic gymnastics with great interest. The return of Russian and Belarusian national symbols could further increase media attention, but also open questions about the reactions of the public, other national teams and sports officials. In purely sporting terms, the competition will remain focused on performances, the difficulty of elements, artistic impression and stability in the all-around and apparatus finals. But the political framework will be difficult to ignore, especially if Russian or Belarusian gymnasts achieve notable results and appear on the podium under national symbols.
A broader trend of return, but without a unified sporting model
The decision of World Gymnastics does not come in complete isolation. Over the past year, some international sports federations have gradually eased restrictions on athletes from Russia and Belarus, while others have retained a stricter regime of neutral participation or bans. According to reports by international media, similar changes have already caused disputes in aquatic sports and wrestling, while the International Olympic Committee has separately considered the conditions for the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in different age and competition categories. Such inconsistency creates a complex legal and organizational framework: the same athlete or the same country may have the right to compete under a flag in one sport, while in another sport they remain restricted to neutral status. To the public, this often appears inconsistent, but the international sports system largely rests on the autonomy of individual federations.
In gymnastics, the latest move is particularly important because FIG covers several disciplines, including artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline, acrobatics and aerobics. According to media reports, the Russian gymnastics federation welcomed the decision as a full restoration of the rights of Russian athletes and the return of the possibility to compete under the flag and anthem. Such a reaction was expected given that Russia has traditionally had great influence in international gymnastics. However, the decision will be measured not only by the reactions of national federations, but also by whether competitions proceed without boycotts, protests or additional political disputes. Varna will therefore be an important indicator of how the new rules can be implemented in the European sporting space, where the consequences of the war in Ukraine remain deeply present.
Sporting focus and political sensitivity in the same space
Rhythmic gymnastics at European level in Varna should offer the usual combination of technically demanding routines, strong national teams and the fight for medals in senior and junior categories. But this year's edition also carries an additional question: whether the competition can return to standard protocol for Russian and Belarusian representatives without undermining trust among participants. European Gymnastics has so far relied on the decision of World Gymnastics and announced formal ratification at an extraordinary General Assembly, which means that further institutional steps are still to follow. Until then, it is clear that a new phase is opening in Varna for gymnastics, one in which the sporting calendar, national symbols and the consequences of war once again meet in the same competitive space. For the public and expert community, the championship will therefore be more than the usual battle for European medals: it will also be the first major test of a decision that could shape the way Russian and Belarusian athletes return to international gymnastics.
Sources:
- European Gymnastics – official decision of the Executive Committee on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes (link)
- European Gymnastics – official information on the 2026 European Championships in Rhythmic Gymnastics in Varna (link)
- World Gymnastics – official Executive Committee announcement for May 2026 on the lifting of restrictions (link)
- Gymnastics Now – report on the decision of World Gymnastics and the abolition of special rules for Russia and Belarus (link)
- Associated Press – context of IOC decisions on Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sport (link)