MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/. International sports federations decide independently on the issue of returning national symbols to Russian athletes, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said in a statement to TASS on Tuesday.
"It is up to each International Federation (IF) as the sole authority for its international competitions, outside of the Olympic Games, to decide on this question," the statement reads.
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."
In March 2022, World Aquatics (FINA until December 2022) ruled to bar Russia and Belarus from FINA’s upcoming international swimming competitions.
