World Aquatics has announced updates to its ‘youth and junior athlete participation guidelines,’ which they say aligns with the International Olympic Committee Recommendations.
This is the latest softening of global sporting stances toward Russia and Belarus over their 2022 invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Ukrainian sporting organizations in spite of little softening of the fighting on the ground.
European Aquatics previously cited World Aquatics guidelines in expanding access to Russian and Belarussian athletes at the continental level. European Aquatics had previously approved participation of Russian and Belarusian junior athletes continentally, but the latest decision allows them to compete at the 2027 World Junior Championships and Youth Olympic Games this year as well.
The new World Aquatics guidelines remove any requirement of ‘neutral status’ or restriction on symbols, flags, and anthems of the impacted countries Russia and Belarus at the junior level, as well as any of the restrictions on military affiliation or neutrality. Those restrictions have not changed at the senior level, which includes junior athletes competing at senior competitions.
New IOC President Kirsty Coventry has generally shied away from IOC involvement in an increasing number of global geopolitical conflicts, repeatedly insisting that the Olympic movement should be free from the influence of politics. Still, there are only 20 Individual Neutral Athletes at the ongoing Winter Olympics. That is fewer than the 32 who participated at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The IOC’s communication following its summit on December 11 2025 released the following statement:
“Youth athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport should no longer be restricted in their access to international youth competitions, in both individual and team sports. […] Standard protocols of the IF or the International Sports Event Organiser regarding flags, anthems, uniforms and other elements should apply, provided that the national sports organisation concerned is in good standing. […] The above principles should apply to the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, and are recommended for adoption by all IFs and International Sports Event Organisers for their own youth events. […] Existing sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian governments should also remain in place. In particular, the restriction on accreditations or invitations to international sports events or meetings for government officials from Russia and Belarus should remain in place for both senior and youth events.”
Russia won 13 gold medals and 19 total medals in swimming at the last edition of the Youth Olympic Games in 2018.
Why Russia?
The IOC’s bans on Russian and Belarusian athletes who don’t meet strict requirements have been upheld by the international Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The ban repeatedly begs the question about why Russia and Belarus are subject to restrictions and aggressors of other armed conflicts around the world, like the war between Israel and Palestine, the United States’ arrest of Venezuela’s president, or the many other regional conflicts around the world.
The IOC made the case that by annexing Ukrainian regional sporting organizations, Russia and their accomplices from Belarus had violated the IOC charter. The CAS accepted this needle threading.
World Aquatics Junior/Youth Category Events In 2026
- World Aquatics Junior High Diving Championships – May 15-17, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
- World Aquatics Men’s U18 Water Polo Championships – June 27-July4, Porto, Portugal
- World Aquatics Women’s U16 Water Polo Championships – July 25-31, Zagreb, Croatia
- World Aquatics U16 Men’s Water Polo Championships – August 3-9, Zagreb, Croatia
- World Aquatics Junior Artistic Swimming Championships – August 12-16, Budapest, Hungary
- World Aquatics Women’s U18 Water Polo Championships – August 16-23, Puerto de la Cruz, Spain
- World Aquatics Junior Diving Championships – August 21-28, Rijeka, Croatia
- World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships – September 3-6, Santa Fe, Argentina
Weak.
Terrible decision! Feel very sorry for the Ukrainian Athletes who have lost their lives because of the actions of a ‘Lunatic’!
There must be a Russian entourage on duty!!
With USA literally rolling out a red carpet to Putin, it us not surprising others start doing it too. Disappointing though.
It was about time. It was just performative at this point. All announcers call them Russians anyways or “Russian athletes competing as neutrals.” It didn’t do anything. Especially when there are many other countries that are in the same category as Russia that have not had their flag taken away.
Really wrong decision. Just confirming weak response world had to russian aggression. Ukrainians will have no choice, swim against representatives of country terrorist.
if israel can compete than belarus and russia should too tbh
Correct
Well, about time-incredible discrepancy in athletes from Russia/Belarus being banned from competition and athletes representing Israel never being reprimanded regardless of the world, UN, ICC consensus
The wild part is we all sorta knew this was eventually going to happen when they initially put the restrictions in place.
Has anything materially changed? No. Has everyone just become like, apathetic? Yes.
So let’s get ’em back!!
I guess we could technically say that this is about kids who had nothing to do with anything, but yeah…