Russians Have Regained Their Flag and Anthem in Archery
World Archery has lifted restrictions on Russian athletes and officials at its competitions. Russians will now be able to compete under the Russian flag, and the Russian national anthem may once again be played at tournaments. The decision applies to competitions held directly under the auspices of World Archery.
The World Archery Executive Board held an online meeting on Friday and reviewed the International Olympic Committee’s decision dated July 7, 2026. The IOC confirmed at that time that its previous recommendations restricting the participation of Russian athletes were no longer in effect. Following this, World Archery decided to lift its own restrictions on Russian athletes, teams, and officials. “From now on, Russian athletes and teams may compete under their country’s flag at these events, including the World Cup and the World Archery Championships,” the federation announced.
Restrictions that had prohibited the use of the Russian flag and national anthem at competitions since 2022 have also been lifted. This means that Russian athletes at World Archery tournaments are no longer required to compete without national symbols. If admitted, they will be able to officially represent Russia.
This does not mean automatic admission for all athletes
At the same time, the federation’s decision does not mean that any Russian athlete will automatically be granted the right to compete. World Archery emphasized that the federation’s standard rules for participation remain in effect. Athletes must meet eligibility requirements, participation criteria, and anti-doping regulations.
In addition, the rules of the country hosting a specific competition may apply. This applies, in particular, to national legislation, visa restrictions, and decisions by government agencies. Therefore, even after the lifting of restrictions at the World Archery level, the participation of specific athletes will depend on all of these conditions.
Which tournaments are affected by this decision
The new rules apply to competitions held directly under the auspices of the International Archery Federation. This includes, in particular, the World Cup and the World Archery Championships.
At the same time, the decision does not automatically apply to tournaments organized by the European and Mediterranean Archery Union—World Archery Europe. World Archery noted that the decision to allow Russian athletes to participate in such competitions remains within the jurisdiction of the continental federation. The International Federation plans to continue its dialogue with World Archery Europe regarding how to implement its new decision.
The federation expressed its support for Ukraine
Despite lifting the restrictions on Russian archers, World Archery stated that it continues to support the Ukrainian archery community. “We will continue to support the Ukrainian archery community and all those affected by the ongoing war,” the federation emphasized.
Thus, World Archery has effectively restored Russian athletes’ ability to use national symbols at major international tournaments. At the same time, the issue of their participation in European competitions remains separate and will depend on a decision by World Archery Europe. This was reported on the federation’s website.
As a reminder, on August 11, Elina Svitolina defeated Russia’s Katerina Aleksandrova in the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 in Toronto and advanced to the semifinals. The Ukrainian lost the first set but staged a comeback to win the match in three sets—3–6, 6–0, 6–3.
Prior to that, Ukraine’s top-ranked player, Elina Svitolina, secured a victory in the round of 16 at the prestigious WTA 1000 tournament being held in Toronto.
