Netherlands Blocks Three Pro-Putin Russian Gymnasts From World Championships

The Netherlands has denied visas to three Russian gymnasts, including two Olympic champions who previously demonstrated support for Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Russia’s war against Ukraine. The decision prevents the athletes from competing at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam, scheduled for October 17–25.

According to The Insider on October 14, the athletes are Angelina Melnikova, Viktoria Listunova, and Anna Kalmykova. The Russian Gymnastics Federation confirmed that the Dutch embassy in Moscow had refused their visa applications, citing concerns over international relations.

The federation said the official notices indicated that one or more Schengen Area member states considered the athletes a potential threat to their international relations. Dutch authorities, however, stated that sporting achievements played no role in the visa decisions, which were assessed under European Union regulations.

Melnikova, the reigning world all-around champion, previously participated in primaries organized by Putin’s United Russia party and appeared publicly with the Z symbol associated with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine imposed sanctions on her in February 2026 over her support for the war.

Listunova, who won Olympic team gold alongside Melnikova at the Tokyo Games, attended a pro-war rally in Moscow in March 2022, wearing clothing displaying the Z symbol. Kalmykova, meanwhile, represents Russia’s Dynamo sports club, which has ties to the country’s security structures.

Russian gymnasts returned to international competition in 2026 after restrictions imposed following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 were eased.

Earlier, Poland announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes would be barred from competing at the 2027 European Diving Championships. The Polish Swimming Federation said the restrictions would remain in place as long as Russia continued its war against Ukraine.

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