GENEVA, October 14. /TASS/. World Gymnastics said it deeply regrets the Netherlands’ refusal to issue visas to Russian gymnasts to participate in the World Championship.
The World Artistic Gymnastics Championship will take place from October 17 to 25 in Rotterdam. The Netherlands refused to issue visas to Olympic champions Angelina Melnikova and Victoria Listunova, as well as to Anna Kalmykova.
"The issuance of visas to all participants is solely at the discretion of the Dutch authorities. World Gymnastics cannot explain the reasons for denying visas to some participants. World Gymnastics continues its dialogue with the Dutch authorities, the local organizing committee, and the Russian Gymnastics Federation. World Gymnastics expresses deep regret over the adverse effect on the Russian delegation’s preparations and the confusion that has arisen within the artistic gymnastics community," the organization said in a statement.
The World Championship will be the first stage of team qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Based on the results, the top three men’s and top three women’s teams will receive Olympic quotas. On Tuesday, Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev said the Russian Olympic Committee would appeal to the International Olympic Committee and World Gymnastics, demanding that the tournament in Rotterdam be stripped of its qualifying status.
Earlier, gymnasts Daniel Marinov, Arsenii Dukhno, Sergei Naidin, and Alena Glotova, who received Schengen visas, arrived in the Netherlands. Five more athletes on the main roster of the Russian national team for the World Championship – Liudmila Roshchina, Milana Kayumova, Ilia Zaika, Savelii Sieedin and Elizaveta Us – received their visas.