Russian Swimming President Vladimir Salnikov has responded to FINA allowing Russian athletes to continue to compete, but only under neutral flags. Sanikov said, “This decision is balanced and the main thing is that it leaves our athletes the right to take part in international competitions”.
Russian aquatic athletes will still be allowed to compete but not represent the Russian name, flag, national anthems, and other symbols that would represent the country. Belarus athletes will have the same restrictions as well.
Salnikov competed for the Soviet Union in the 1976 Montreal, 1980 Moscow, and 1988 Seoul Olympics (the Soviet Union boycotted the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics). He specialized in distance freestyle and was the first person under 15 minutes in the 1500 freestyle as well as the first person under 8 minutes in the 800 freestyle. He also earned a total of four gold medals.
Salnikov retired after the 1988 Seoul Olympics and continued to stay connected to swimming by coaching, being a member of the Soviet Olympic Committee from 1984-1990, and was a member of the International Swimming Federation’s (FINA) Athletes’ Commission from 1991–2000. In 2009, he was elected as Russian Swimming President. In 2013, he joined the FINA Bureau and has not been suspended from his duties there.
Canada and the United Kingdom have announced today that they won’t race at Worlds scheduled for Russia in August 2022. They join Australia, 9 Nordic nations, Switzerland, and Ukraine in countries that have already withdrawn.
Totally Agree with this decision …..Israeli athletes still compete although Israel is always condemned in UN and Amnesty and human rights organization reports for crimes against humanity and war crimes against Palestinians …if you want to apply rules apply it on all…This cancellation culture policy is disgusting … Sports federation are not neutral nor transparent …FIFA panelized Celtics for raising Palestinian flags when Gaza was bombarded and children were killed and yet it allows Ukraine flags and solidarity and support to take place ( not that i do not support Ukraine against Russian invasion and UA/NATO manipulation )…this crises shows the international community and especially European and American communities selective humanity and how similar humanitarian struggle is given different labels… Read more »
Are out your mind. People are dying because of Russia. Nobody nowhere should be allowed. Family members are killing innocent people in Ukraine. If you are strong go brave go and finish Putin and give peace to world and you will be the most famous person in world history.
Amen!
How much does it cost to get officials to put on blinders and declare “legitimacy” for a program with foundations in state-sponsored doping/evasion. Not to mention one that is IN THE ACT of unflinchingly killing innocents for a madman.
Russian Orleans should have been banned outright for the last several years. Let the athletes leave the corrupt/cheating program and emigrate somewhere else like Ukraine or Germany if they want to participate in sports.
Easy solution unless Putin sends assassins after them. Oh, wait…
Makes FINA look real good when Russia approves of their sanctions…
To me, the dividing line is between when an athlete is representing their country versus when they are representing themselves or some other organization not related to their country. More precisely, does the structure of the competition depend on nationality in any material way?
It’s pretty clear that at a meet like Worlds unless the Russia athletes are competing under some sort of refugee or dissident status, they are competing for Russia in all but name. For instance, who chooses the team? Is it still the Russian Swimming organization? Are they chosen by some FINA committee? Can a swimmer not from Russia decide to join this “neutral” team? Unless… Read more »
What does this mean for relays?
Shut Russia out of everything. Ukrain is a little to bust to compete, so when Ukrain can compete then maybe Russia can as well.
‘Salnikov said, “This decision is balanced. …” ‘ Balanced (i.e., in good proportion) to what, killing people, bombing their homes and invading their country? Really (both, Salnikov and FINA)?
I agree with FINA this time.