Overview
- Kirsty Coventry delivered a video message to the EU Sport Forum in Nicosia on Thursday, urging member states to protect sport’s autonomy and neutrality.
- The call followed World Aquatics dropping neutral-status rules for senior Russian and Belarusian athletes, clearing the way for flags, anthems, and full team rights after integrity reviews.
- World Aquatics says its Aquatics Integrity Unit has overseen more than 700 screenings to check eligibility and anti-doping compliance before restoring national symbols.
- The IOC has not changed Olympic eligibility, which since 2023 has allowed only some Russian or Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals and has kept the Russian Olympic Committee suspended.
- TASS and the Sentinel quote Coventry’s neutrality push, while EssentiallySports presents it as a signal the IOC could revisit participation rules for future Games.