With the world gymnastics championships set to open in under a week, the Russian delegation had yet to receive the entry visas required for travel to the Netherlands. A planned departure to Rotterdam was postponed after Dutch visa authorisation had not come through for the travelling party.
Men's qualifying on Saturday, 17 October opens the world championships. Reigning all-around champion Angelina Melnikova noted via her Telegram channel on 10 October that the schedule had shifted somewhat, though training continued with the start still some time away — a position not unlike what the team navigated heading into the European Championships held in Zagreb, Croatia, in August.
Of the 65 travellers in the delegation, nine — among them Melnikova and Viktoria Listunova, both of whom took gold at the Tokyo Olympics — were turned away at the visa stage at the outset. Listunova's situation differed from the others in the group: the authorisation that reached the remaining members of the delegation did not reach her.
At the European Championships, Russia's women claimed the team title while the men finished as runners-up, with Melnikova and Anna Kalmykova occupying the top two spots in the all-around standings.
The visa uncertainty surrounding Russian athletes reflects how contested their place in international competition has become, with the dispute extending across more than four years since their widespread exclusion followed the country's military offensive against Ukraine. From 2024, athletes without national team affiliation were permitted to compete as neutral competitors, while Russia's path to fielding full squads remained blocked until the International Olympic Committee lifted its provisional suspension in July.
At the gymnastics world championships, Russian athletes are competing with a complete team for the first time. While Russia fielded complete rosters at the world championships in fencing, modern pentathlon, and rhythmic gymnastics over the summer, those three disciplines draw a smaller global audience than gymnastics.
Should Russia reach Rotterdam, its national flag and colours would be barred from display, with the team competing under the designation "WG2" — a condition tied to the host nation's position as a supporter of Ukraine. At these gymnastics world championships, nations can earn one of three available Olympic berths for Los Angeles 2028, with placement among the top three in the standings securing a spot at the Summer Games.
Both the Russian women's and men's squads are positioned as viable challengers for podium places, with the women's team viewed as a potential rival to their American counterparts in the hunt for overall team honours.
