Sports · Other Sports · 11 hrs ago
World Gymnastics keeps 2026 worlds as Olympic qualifier despite visa denials
World Gymnastics considered removing the 2026 world championships from Olympic qualifying after the Netherlands denied visas to three Russian gymnasts.
The competition takes place in Rotterdam from October 17 to 25, and is the first team qualifying event for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The athletes named were Olympic champions Angelina Melnikova and Viktoria Listunova, and Anna Kalmykova.
World Gymnastics said it discussed the issue at an emergency executive committee meeting but decided to keep the event's qualifying status.
Its secretary general said removing that status could unfairly affect other teams preparing to qualify.
The federation has continued talks with Dutch officials, while Dutch authorities decide who receives entry visas.
World Gymnastics will keep the 2026 world championships as an Olympic qualifying event despite visa denials for three Russian gymnasts.
The federation considered removing the qualifying status at an emergency executive committee meeting but decided against it.
The championships are scheduled to take place in Rotterdam from October 17 to 25.
The event is the first team qualification stage for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The Netherlands denied visas to Angelina Melnikova, Viktoria Listunova and Anna Kalmykova.
- Who
- World Gymnastics decided to keep the event’s qualifying status. Three Russian gymnasts were denied visas by the Netherlands.
- What
- The 2026 world championships will remain an Olympic qualifying event despite visa denials.
- When
- The decision was reported on October 16, 2026. The championships are scheduled for October 17 to 25.
- Where
- Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
- Why
- World Gymnastics said removing the status would be unfair to other federations that had prepared to qualify athletes at the event.
World Gymnastics
Russian Olympic Committee
Qualifying status
World Gymnastics
World Gymnastics decided to keep the championships as an Olympic qualifying event, saying removing the status would affect other federations’ preparations.
Russian Olympic Committee
Russia’s sports minister said the Russian Olympic Committee intended to ask the IOC and World Gymnastics to strip the event of its qualifying status after the visa denials.
Russian sports minister Mikhail Degtyarev said the Russian Olympic Committee intended to ask the IOC and World Gymnastics to remove the championships’ qualifying status.
World Gymnastics said it was continuing talks with Dutch authorities over visa refusals and that visa decisions were solely within the authorities’ competence.
World Gymnastics said it had considered removing the qualifying status but decided to keep it.
The world championships are scheduled to take place in Rotterdam.
- Event
- 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
- Host city
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Competition dates
- October 17–25, 2026
- Olympic host
- Los Angeles, 2028
- Visa refusals
- Angelina Melnikova, Viktoria Listunova and Anna Kalmykova
3 sources
What people are saying
We decided that this would not be a good decision, because if we do this, what will happen to the other federations that have prepared to qualify for the Games?
Her participation in the tournament as a Russian citizen would mean that the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships would become a large-scale advertisement for Russia's actions.
Therefore, she cannot be allowed to compete.