ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — They’re banned, they’re back. They’re Russia, they’re WG2. They don’t have visas, they do have visas.
There’s a lot to unpack about Russia’s appearance at its first world championships in a major sport in years — they are here at the world gymnastics championships — so let’s get into it.
Why is Russia allowed to compete at gymnastics worlds?
The International Olympic Committee and the individual sport federations banned Russia for the better part of four years as punishment for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The IOC has never been able to quit Russia, though. First, it allowed athletes from Russia to compete as “independent, neutral athletes” beginning in 2024. Then, in July, it provisionally lifted its ban on the Russian Olympic Committee, clearing the way for Russia to have
full teams at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
Many international summer sport federations, including World Gymnastics, had either already lifted their bans of Russia in anticipation of the IOC’s decision or did so once the IOC made it official.
What does WG2 mean, and why is Russia competing under that name?
Because World Gymnastics is letting the host countries make their own rules.
Most European countries, understandably, have no interest in making nice with Russia when it’s still waging war on Ukraine. So World Gymnastics is deferring to the host country on whether Russia is treated as a neutral team or recognized as Russia.
For these worlds, that means Russia is being treated as a neutral team. Thus, WG2. Athletes will not have the Russian flag on their uniforms. The Russian flag won’t be displayed during medal ceremonies, and a generic anthem will be played. You won’t see Russia mentioned anywhere on the official event website.
World Gymnastics, however, is sticking with Russia.
Why are Russia and Ukraine competing in the same qualifying session?
Yep! The random draw pulled both Russia and Ukraine into the second subdivision for men’s qualifying Saturday, Oct. 17. Ukraine starts on still rings and Russia starts on high bar, so they at least will be on opposite sides of the arena.
But this feels like one of those times you drop the ping-pong ball and say, “Oops! My bad. Let’s do that one over.”
There won't be the same uncomfortable situation in women's qualifying, with the teams competing six hours apart. Ukraine is in the fifth subdivision on Monday, Oct. 19, starting on vault, while Russia is in the eighth subdivision later that day, starting on floor exercise.
Why were some Russian gymnasts denied visas for worlds?
It was a whole situation. Russia automatically qualified for the world championships at the European championships, where the women won the team title and the men finished second. They submitted their paperwork to the Dutch embassy in Moscow and then … waited. And waited. And waited.
The Russians had planned to leave for worlds last week but had to reschedule their flights because they still didn’t have their visas. The entire men’s team was eventually cleared, but three of the initial five gymnasts on the women’s team were rejected, including reigning world champion Angelina Melnikova and Tokyo gold medalist Viktoria Listunova.
“The issuance of visas to all participants is a process determined solely by the Dutch authorities,” World Gymnastics said in a statement. “World Gymnastics fully regrets the negative impact on the preparations of the Russian delegation and the confusion felt among the wider Artistic Gymnastics World Championships community.”
The Russian gymnastics federation announced Thursday, Oct. 15, that it will have a full, five-person team at worlds after reserve Alexandra Anufrieva got a visa. Anufrieva joins Milana Kayumova, originally the first alternate, and fellow reserve athlete Elizaveta Us in being elevated to the world team.
Who is competing for Russia as WG2 at gymnastics worlds?
The men’s team is:
- Arseniy Dukhno. Junior world all-around champion in 2025, also won gold on vault. Won three silver medals (team, all-around, floor exercise) at European championships in August.
- Daniel Marinov. Bronze medalist on parallel bars at 2025 world championships, where he competed as an independent neutral athlete. Won silver medal with Russian team at 2026 European championships and bronze in the all-around.
- Sergey Naidin. Silver medalist in the all-around at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, where he also won silver on pommel horse and bronzes on parallel bars and floor exercise. Competed at the 2021 world championships, where he was 12th on pommel horse.
- Saveliy Seyedin. Part of Russia's team that won silver at the European championships in August. Won a bronze medal on parallel bars at the Cottbus World Cup in February.
- Ilia Zaika. Won silver medals with Russia's team and on still rings at the European championships.
The women’s team is:
- Alexandra Anufrieva. Won the vault title and finished third on floor exercise at the Russian national championships, held June 30 to July 5.
- Alena Glotova. Part of Russia's team that won gold at the European championships in August.
- Milana Kayumova. Won gold on uneven bars at the 2025 junior world championships. Has won four medals at two senior-level World Cups this season, golds on uneven bars and balance beam in Antalya, Turkey, and silver on bars and bronze on beam in Cottbus, Germany.
- Ludmila Roshchina. Part of Russia's team that won gold at the European championships in August. Won two golds (vault and floor exercise) and a silver (uneven bars) at the Antalya World Cup.
- Elizaveta Us. Part of Russia's team that won gold at the European championships in August.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Russia is back at gymnastics worlds. So why is it called WG2?
