Russian Gymnasts Withdraw From Romania Event Over Anthem Ban

Russian gymnasts withdrew from a tournament in Romania due to a ban on gymnastics

The Russian rhythmic gymnastics team refused to compete in the Challenge Cup in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, after local authorities banned the use of Russian state symbols during the competition. The Russian Gymnastics Federation (RGF) announced this on June 26, accusing the organizers of violating the competition rules.

Photo: TASS

According to FGR spokesperson Linar Ginatullin, the tournament organizers verbally informed the Russian delegation that, in the event of a victory by Russian athletes, the Russian national flag would not be displayed and the national anthem would not be played in the arena. The federation stated that, under these conditions, it had decided to withdraw from the competition, DW reports.

The FGR believes that such restrictions contradict a decision by the Executive Committee of World Gymnastics adopted in May 2026. At that time, the organization allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to once again compete in international competitions with their national flags and anthems, lifting the restrictions that had been in place since February 2022. The federation also cited the amendments to the Olympic Charter recently approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which reinforce the principle of political neutrality in sport.

Cluj-Napoca Mayor Emil Boc announced on June 24 that the use of the Russian flag and anthem is prohibited at the tournament, which runs from June 26 to 28. He explained the decision by citing Romania’s and the European Union’s stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine. According to Boc, when the city agreed to host the competition, Russian athletes were not yet permitted to compete under their national symbols, so municipal authorities asked the International Gymnastics Federation to maintain the previous rules for the tournament.

According to DW, on June 25, the IOC approved amendments to the Olympic Charter, enshrining a provision to protect sport from political interference by state and public institutions.

The amendments sparked debate among sports organizations and human rights advocates. In particular, Rob Keeler, CEO of Global Athlete, stated that they could facilitate the return of Russian athletes to full participation in international competitions.

It should be noted that following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Russian and Belarusian athletes were either suspended or allowed to compete in international events only under neutral status in many sports. Starting in 2026, a number of international federations began to reconsider these restrictions.