Norway has refused to host water sports tournaments due to the inclusion of Russian athletes
The Norwegian Swimming Federation has officially announced that it will refuse to host competitions under the auspices of World Aquatics (WA) in protest against the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to the sport with their national symbols.
Reuters reported this, noting that the international federation’s decision to allow aggressors to use flags and anthems was the reason for the move. The president of the Norwegian federation, Kato Bratbak, emphasized that the country will not provide a platform for Russian state propaganda while the war in Ukraine continues.
Earlier, World Aquatics completely lifted the restrictions that had been in place since February 2022, restoring full membership to the national federations of Russia and Belarus. This decision sparked a wave of outrage among European countries: the Nordic Swimming Federation and Poland have already announced their boycotts and visa bans for athletes from these countries. In particular, Poland has officially refused to allow Russian divers to compete in the 2027 European Championships, which are scheduled to take place on its territory.
Despite the threat of boycotts from key organizers, World Aquatics continues to insist on the principles of inclusivity and peaceful competition. The international federation stated that it plans to continue bringing together athletes from all countries in a single competitive space. Meanwhile, Norway is preparing a joint response with its Scandinavian counterparts, hoping to force WA to reconsider its position. Currently, the situation threatens to result in the mass relocation of planned aquatic championships from Northern European and Baltic countries. Thus, the sports community remains divided over the ethical question of allowing Russian representatives to compete on the international stage. The ultimate goal of the Norwegian protest is to maintain sanctions pressure on the aggressor until hostilities cease completely. Next week, the Scandinavian federations plan to coordinate further steps to block World Aquatics’ initiatives.
As a reminder, the International Sports Federation World Aquatics, which unites national federations of aquatic sports—swimming (including open-water swimming), diving (including high diving), synchronized swimming, and water polo—has allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international tournaments under a neutral status starting January 1, 2026.
The Ukrainian water polo team received a technical defeat in the match for seventh place at the World Cup in Division II due to its official refusal to take the field against the Russian team.
