Nordic Nations Clash with World Aquatics Over Russia and Belarus Participation

Finland joins Norway and Poland in refusing to host international swimming events as World Aquatics allows Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete. Members of the Nordic Swimming Federation oppose the decision, with various countries expressing concerns and planning further discussions on their hosting policies.

Finland has declared it will not host international championships as long as World Aquatics continues to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete, joining Norway and Poland in protest. This move has intensified the tension between several Nordic countries and swimming's global governing body.

The Nordic Swimming Federation, comprising Denmark, Estonia, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden, is set to meet on Monday to discuss the situation further. This follows World Aquatics' decision earlier this month to reintegrate Russian and Belarusian athletes into competitions, complete with national uniforms, flags, and anthems.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, athletes from Russia and Belarus were banned from international events. The Finnish Swimming Federation has stressed its ethical responsibility to support Ukrainian athletes and will not invite athletes or clubs from Russia or Belarus to domestic events.