World Rowing will continue to admit Russian and Belarusian competitors only as Individual Neutral Athletes, despite the IOC withdrawing its earlier recommendations governing their return to international sport.
According to the Russian News Agency TASS, the federation has confirmed that its participation framework adopted in February 2026 remains unchanged. Athletes holding Russian or Belarusian passports can enter all World Rowing competitions and boat classes, but cannot represent their countries.
National flags and other symbols remain prohibited, while the Russian and Belarusian anthems cannot be played or sung. The rules apply to World Championships, World Cups, indoor championships, Masters regattas, Beach Sprint Finals and Coastal Championships, as well as other competitions under World Rowing’s authority.
TASS reported that the federation’s press service said in response to the IOC decision: “The World Rowing competition admission system, established by our Executive Committee and updated in February 2026, already allows athletes holding a Russian or Belarusian passport to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes in all world rowing competitions, subject to strict conditions of neutrality. This system remains unchanged and will continue to operate.”
Video An Unofficial Diplomatic Mission | Ukraine at The Head Of The Charles 2022
IOC leaves the decision to each sport
On 7 July, the IOC provisionally lifted the suspension imposed on the Russian Olympic Committee on 12 October 2023. It said the ROC no longer included any regional sports organisations in territories falling under the jurisdiction of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, and had committed not to operate there.
The IOC also withdrew its recommended participation conditions for Russian athletes and teams. Comparable recommendations concerning Belarus had already been lifted in May.
That decision left international federations free to decide whether to restore Russian representation. The IOC placed decisions about flags, anthems and national identification in the hands of each federation and event organiser.
World Rowing’s policy is consistent with the IOC’s revised position. The IOC no longer recommends compulsory neutrality, but it allows individual sports to retain stricter admission rules. Its own decision on Russian national symbols at future Olympic Games will be taken separately.
Returning Russian athletes must also satisfy enhanced anti-doping requirements. These include independent oversight through the International Testing Agency and multiple tests before newly returning athletes enter competition, based on each sport’s risk assessment.
Russian federation will press for national symbols
Alexei Svirin, president of the Russian Rowing Federation and a former Olympic champion, said World Rowing had promptly informed his organisation that neutral status would continue.
“We intend to raise the issue of our athletes competing with the flag and anthem at the next executive committee of the international federation, which will take place in late August in the Netherlands during the World Championships,” Svirin told RIA Novosti.
The Russian federation does not plan to challenge the policy at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Svirin said participation conditions were matters for World Rowing’s Executive Committee and would instead be pursued through discussions inside the federation.
World Rowing’s position has already moved since Russian and Belarusian athletes first returned under tight restrictions in 2023. The initial pathway covered selected events and limited boat classes, with eligibility checks and neutral presentation. February’s update opened every World Rowing event and boat class while retaining the ban on national identification.
In August, the Executive Committee will consider representation. Russian and Belarusian rowers can race throughout the World Rowing programme, but their flags and anthems remain prohibited.
