GENEVA, July 27. /TASS/. The world’s governing body of gymnastics sports, World Gymnastics, has urged against restrictions in regard to Russian athletes competing under the organizations’ sponsored tournaments and stresses that some competitions may allow exceptions in case of restrictions imposed by hosting countries, the press office of the organization announced on Monday.

"Executive Committee Clarification on the Implementation of the May 2026 Decision Regarding Russian and Belarusian Athletes. World Gymnastics reaffirms its firm belief that sport and politics should remain separate and that sporting events should continue to serve as neutral platforms promoting unity, fairness, mutual respect, and solidarity," the statement reads.

"During its meeting in May 2026, the Executive Committee decided to lift all restrictions on Russian and Belarusian athletes, in accordance with the principle of equal treatment for all participants, regardless of nationality, and in line with the fundamental values and spirit of sport. This approach is also consistent with the recommendations issued by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on 7 July," the statement continued.

"At the same time, the Executive Committee acknowledges the concerns that the immediate implementation of this decision may have raised, particularly in relation to potential government restrictions over which World Gymnastics has no control," according to the federation. "As a result, the situation was reassessed during the Executive Committee meeting held from 22 to 24 July 2026."

"While the Executive Committee is not reconsidering its decision, it has recognised that a degree of flexibility may be required, until further notice, for events allocated before the May 2026 decision where binding local restrictions prevent the full implementation of the standard World Gymnastics framework," World Gymnastics noted in its statement.

"Accordingly, the Executive Committee has confirmed that, in principle, all Russian and Belarusian athletes should be granted full representation at all World Gymnastics-sanctioned events. However, exceptions may be considered for events allocated before the May 2026 decision on a case-by-case basis, where applicable decisions or restrictions imposed by local authorities prevent the implementation of this framework," the statement added.

On May 18, the Executive Committee of World Gymnastics decided to lift previously imposed restrictions on Russian athletes, allowing them to compete internationally under the Russian flag. European Gymnastics later informed TASS of the decision and stated it would decide on lifting restrictions by May 24, eventually following suit.

In December 2025, the IOC Executive Board issued recommendations allowing athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in international competitions under national flags and anthems. The recommendation applied to both individual and team sports. Numerous international sports federations followed the proposal.