By James Sutherland on SwimSwam
As World Aquatics ended its sanctions against Russian and Belarusian athletes, officially lifting the restrictions last month, European Aquatics has been resistant to moving as quickly.
In early May, European Aquatics announced that it had requested a delay of the World Aquatics bylaw that would see Russian and Belarusian athletes return to competing under their national flags, hoping to extend the ban through to September 1.
If the request goes through, Russian and Belarusian athletes would still have to compete as individual neutrals through the summer, including at the 2026 European Aquatics Championships in Paris, scheduled for August.
European Aquatics Statement:
Following a meeting of the Bureau on 30 April 2026, it was agreed to request a delay of implementation of the recently approved AQUA bylaw concerning the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in international aquatic competitions.The request asks that the bylaw, which permits the return of these athletes to full participation across all aquatic disciplines, not be enacted by European Aquatics until 1 September 2026.Until that date, athletes and teams from Russia and Belarus who have been approved under existing eligibility criteria will remain able to compete in European Aquatics competitions exclusively under the status of Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN).
Glenn Micallef, the European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture, and Sport, also recently spoke out against World Aquatics’ decision to reinstate Russian and Belarusian athletes.
“This decision is a grave mistake,” he said. “Sport cannot reward aggression. Europe will not accept this normalisation.”
On Sunday, European Aquatics announced that President Antonio Silva and Vice President Erkan Yalcin have visited Ukraine to demonstrate solidarity with the country’s aquatic sports family, including athletes, coaches and officials.
Silva and Yalcin visited Kyiv, Lviv and Odessa as they tried to gain a “first-hand understanding of the daily realities facing Ukrainian sport during an exceptionally difficult period for the nation.”
It’s notable that in the European Aquatics story on the visit, the organization did not specifically mention Russia, Belarus, or the war.
“Having the chance to acquaint myself with the living conditions and the reality in which aquatic sports continue to develop in Ukraine was both moving and inspiring,” said Silva.
“I have seen extraordinary resilience, dedication and unity from everyone involved in our sport. European Aquatics stands firmly alongside our Ukrainian colleagues and athletes, and we remain committed to supporting them and helping build a brighter future for aquatics in Ukraine.”
A big part of Silva and Yalcin’s visit included attending one of the finals sessions of the Ukrainian National Swimming Championships on May 14, where he participated in the medal ceremonies. The night also included a “farewell ceremony” honoring Ukrainian Olympic medalist Mykhailo Romanchuk.
Silva and Yalcin also met with Igor Lysov, the Ukrainian Diving and Synchro Swimming Federation President, Marta Fiedina, President of the Kyiv City Artistic Swimming Federation and state coach of the Ukrainian national synchronised swimming team, and Anna Sorokina, Chair of the European Aquatics Technical Diving Committee, during the visit, along with other athletes, coaches and federation leadership.
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Silva and Yalcin also attended the final match of the Ukrainian Water Polo Championship, with Silva presenting the championship trophy to Dynamo Lviv, crowned Ukrainian champions for the eighth straight time and 13th overall.
Silva emphasized the unity of European Aquatics when speaking about his experience during the visit.
“Sport has a unique power to inspire hope and bring people together, even in the most difficult circumstances,” Silva said. “The Ukrainian aquatic community continues to demonstrate immense strength and dignity. European Aquatics will continue to stand with them.”
Read more on Silva and Yalcin’s visit here.
As of late March 2026, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has verified over 58,930 civilian casualties (13,883 killed, 43,352 injured) in Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2022. Ukraine has suffered approximately 500,000 to 600,000 military casualties, while Russian military casualties are reported to be around 1.2 million.
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