Europe’s Nordic countries say won't host World Aquatics events — sports official

MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/. /TASS/. Europe’s Nordic countries say they will not host any international swimming tournaments sanctioned by World Aquatics after the global sports body ruled to lift all previously imposed sanctions against Russia and Belarus, President of the Estonian Swimming Federation (EUL) Erkki Susi said on Tuesday. "The Estonian Swimming Federation (EUL), which currently chairs the Nordic Swimming Federation, has discussed this issue more than once with other federations," the EUL’s press office quoted Susi as saying in a press release. "The general position of the Nordic swimming federations is clear - they don’t support the decision, and the European Swimming Federation also objects," he continued. "However, decisions made by World Aquatics are binding in line with the statute of the European Swimming Federation and they automatically become binding on the European and Estonian federations," the EUL president noted. "The Nordic federations stressed that athletes should not suffer or be excluded from participation, and the common stance of the Nordic countries is to allow their athletes to continue competing internationally," Susi stated. "However, the Nordic swimming federations confirm that they will not hold international swimming competitions in the coming years until the current situation and decisions are altered." "The Board of the Estonian Swimming Federation will discuss this issue at its meeting on Wednesday," he added. On April 13, the world’s governing body of swimming sports, World Aquatics, lifted all previously imposed sanctions against Russia and Belarus, allowing their athletes to compete again under the countries’ flags and to the tune of national anthems. The international federation stated: "Senior athletes with Belarusian or Russian sport nationality will be permitted to compete in World Aquatics events in the same way as their counterparts representing other sport nationalities, with their respective uniforms, flags and anthems." World Aquatics’ previous ban on Russia, Belarus In March 2022, World Aquatics (FINA until December 2022) ruled to bar Russia and Belarus from FINA’s upcoming international swimming competitions. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended international sports federations in late March 2023 to allow individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in international sports tournaments, but only under specific conditions. Specifically, athletes from the two countries should not be "actively supporting" Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and must compete under a neutral status. Russia and Belarus were also banned from participating in international team events.