MOSCOW, June 9. /TASS/. The Council of the world’s governing body of yachting sports, World Sailing, has allowed Russian youth athletes to participate in international tournaments under the national flag and to the tune of the country’s anthem, Russian Sailing Federation (RSF) said in a statement on Tuesday.
The announced decision on behalf of World Sailing is in force to Russian athletes competing in the age category of under-23 and it also includes athletes representing Belarus.
"This is a very important step forward," the statement quoted RSF President Sergey Dzhiyenbayev as saying. "It is particularly gratifying that the restrictions for the youth have been lifted - the younger generation of Russian yachtsmen is granted with an opportunity to compete internationally skipping additional barriers."
"We also welcome the return of Belarusian athletes to their full-fledged participation on the international arena," he continued. "The RSF, with the support of the Russian Olympic Committee [ROC], will continue to work on the full reinstatement of the Russian sport of sailing on the international stage."
World Sailing, formerly known as the International Yacht Racing Union and International Sailing Federation (ISAF), suspended Russia and Belarus from international tournaments on March 1, 2022 citing the military conflict in Ukraine as the reason. However, in July 2025, the world federation allowed athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete in World Sailing events under a neutral status.
