Against The ‘Roar Of Rockets,’ Ukrainian Gymnastics Fights Political Sportswashing

BORODYANKA, UKRAINE – 2023/02/26: A gymnast doing handstand graffiti work of the English artist Banksy is visible on a wall destroyed when the Russian Federation attacked the city of Borodyanka. The Ukrainian authorities installed protective and impact-resistant glass around Banksy’s graffiti artwork to protect it from thieves, vandals, current war and climate conditions. They also installed security cameras near it which alert the authorities of any destruction incident. (Photo by Maksym Polishchuk/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

In a significant policy reversal, the European Gymnastics General Assembly voted on Nov. 28 to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as full teams in European competitions, effective Jan. 1, 2026.

This decision by the continental body follows the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) initially lifting its blanket ban to permit these athletes to compete as Authorized Individual Neutral (AIN) competitors. Russian AIN athletes went on to win four medals (two gold) at this year’s world championships.

Friday’s decision represents a key milestone on the path for Russia and Belarus to qualify for LA 2028.

For Ukrainian gymnastics, the result is devastating—but not surprising.

The Ukrainian federation views the inclusion of these athletes as a systematic effort toward “Sportswashing,” stating in September that “any participation of Russian gymnasts in international competitions… is threatened by using such participation to demonstrate recognition of the aggressor country as a civilized world.”

Vice President Iryna Blokhina and Executive Committee candidate offered a stark warning a week before the vote, detailing the exact political pitfalls that she predicted would lead to this outcome.

Sportswashing and Shadow Sponsors

The Vice President believes the debate around neutrality is largely a diversion from the main issue, arguing that the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes is a clear element of “Sportswashing.” This is when the positive feelings inspired by sport are used “to divert attention from social or environmental problems.”

This emphasis on avoiding discrimination in sport has faced scrutiny in recent months. In October, Indonesian officials denied visa entry to Israeli athletes who were slated to compete at the 2025 World Championships in Jakarta.

This action prompted statements from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) wherein the organization highlighted its “principled position.”

“All eligible athletes, teams and sports officials must be able to take part in international sports competitions and events without any form of discrimination by the host country, in accordance with the Olympic Charter and the fundamental principles of non-discrimination, autonomy and political neutrality that govern the Olympic Movement.”

Politics and violence are intertwined, Blokhina argued. She says the IOC’s recent statements are already being exploited by Russian media to portray military action as “politics,” effectively disguising “military action and the casualties of war.”

The influence has already affected leadership. Despite “outrage,” European Gymnastics permitted Russian and Belarusian representatives to run for election in 2025.

Blokhina confirms that “only under the threat of convening an extraordinary assembly, initiated by the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation, was the issue… included on the agenda of the regular assembly.”

Last week, the General Assembly elected Andrey Fedarau (Belarus) and Marat Filippov (Russia) to their respective leadership positions. Fedarau was elected as President of the Technical Committee for Men’s Artistic Gymnastics, and Filippov as a member of the Executive Committee.

Blokhina was not elected to the Executive Committee, but the General Assembly ruled that “elected officials of Russia and Belarus cannot take up their function until further notice.”

Blokhina states there is “hidden pressure from shadow sponsors on international sports organizations is evident in many controversial decisions.” To combat this, she argues that European Gymnastics must appeal to the European Union to include a formal ban on sportswashing in the next sanctions package.

Institutional Reform: A Path Forward

Many argue that neutrality is a myth in today’s political climate.

For the sport’s governing bodies to retain legitimacy, Blokhina argues it must take specific steps. First, the FIG and IOC must “clearly distinguish between politically motivated discrimination and military aggression by one country against another.”

This process should include a mandatory provision that properly protects and compensates victims of military aggression.

Second, the governing bodies must properly evaluate and award neutral status. Blokhina argues that the FIG has previously awarded neutrality “contrary to the established criteria.”

Russian gymnast Angelina Melnikova’s status as a neutral athlete attracted widespread controversy due to her numerous ties to Putin’s United Russia party. She won gold at the world championships as a neutral athlete.

At the time of our conversation, Blokhina indicated that the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation is preparing legal action on the issue of athlete neutrality.

Ultimately, the IOC and FIG need to draw a clear line in the sand.

“We need to distinguish between legitimate sponsorship and Sportswashing,” she says.

The Ukrainian federation believes this disambiguation should come in the form of a formal ban on sportwashing within the European Union. Only then, will governing bodies begin to successfully crack down on external influences and “financial flows.”

Ukrainian Gymnastics Fights On

While European Gymnastics’ recent ruling is deeply upsetting for the Ukrainian Federation, Blokhina vows that the federation’s athletes have begun using the disappointing verdicts as motivation.

“On the one hand, the participation of neutral athletes in sports competitions provokes indignation among the Ukrainian team, but on the other, it provides additional impetus to prove their strength, skill, and desire to win.”

Even with medals and Olympic dreams on the line, Blokhina says the federation and its athletes are in total alignment. When the federation decides to boycott a competition – like at September’s World Cup event in Paris – the athletes support the decision.

Ukrainian athletes are fighting many battles. They fight for their lives, their survival, and for the opportunity to represent their country on the world’s biggest stages.

Blokhina’s athletes train amid the “wail of sirens,” the “roar of rockets,” and the “moral devastation’ of losing their compatriots and loved ones. While weathering the impact of war, they also must actively combat “manifestations of sportswashing by the aggressor country and its satellites.”

After last week’s ruling, the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation and its gymnasts took another figurative hit in their battles against Russia and against sportswashing. While Friday’s battle was lost, the war is not over.

“(Ukraine) needs the support of the sports community,” she pleads.