Shortly after the FIG’s announcement that Russian and Belarusian athletes will have to compete without flags and anthems, the IOC asked sports federations to ban athletes from Russia and Belarus from international competitions. Multiple federations, including the International Skating Union, made announcements that they would ban Russia and Belarus, but the FIG did not make any new statements. Meanwhile, Russian gymnasts have already arrived in Doha to compete at the FIG World Cup this week.
Ukrainian gymnasts traveled to Doha directly from Cottbus where they competed last week – their first day of competition was the day the Russia started the invasion of Ukraine. They currently do not have a way to go back to Ukraine or to continue training in Ukraine since the Kyiv region where they train is being attacked. The FIG has announced unspecified assistance for the Ukrainian athletes.
Valentina Rodionenko told TASS Russian athletes were allowed to compete in Doha despite Ukraine’s protest:
“We were allowed to compete at the World Cup despite the official protest from the Ukrainian delegation which stated they would refuse to compete if athletes from Russia and Belarus were allowed to compete. This protest was reviewed by the FIG’s Technical Committee.* We will compete as neutral athletes and without any Russian signage. The mental state of our athletes is really not good.”
*Rodionenko likely means the Executive Committee
I haven’t seen it mentioned anywhere but the FIG Athletes Commission ran two polls on Instagram stories yesterday asking (1) about the IOC recommendation (agree / disagree) and (2) if the FIG accepts the IOC recommendation what to do with the athletes already in Doha and Baku (let them to compete / suspend immediately).
They then posted: “Thank you so much for your messages, opinions and votes! It seems like it turned into a sympathy voting and this is not what we wanted. We wanted to hear the neutral countries opinion!
Neutral countries opinion is very clear now after reading the messages! Thank you for all the feedbacks you gave us #nowarplease”