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Swimming-Norway Joins Poland in Refusing to Host Russians and Belarusians
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 21, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 21, 2026
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Norway’s swimming federation will refuse to host international competitions as long as World Aquatics reinstates full participation rights—including flags and anthems—for Russian and Belarusian athletes, joining Poland’s similar stance as both resist normalization of the two nations in aquatic sport
Norway Bans Hosting Swimming Events Involving Russian, Belarusian Athletes
By Tommy Lund
Norwegian Swimming Federation's Stance on Russian and Belarusian Participation
April 21 (Reuters) - The Norwegian Swimming Federation will not host international championships as long as World Aquatics (WA) allows athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete, the country's governing body President Cato Bratbakk told Reuters.
Background of the Ban
The decision marks a deepening rift within the international swimming community after WA lifted neutrality restrictions last week.
Official Statement from Norwegian Federation
"Our position is clear. We will not host any championships as long as Russian and Belarusian senior and junior competitors have full access, entry rights, and are permitted to use their flags and national anthems," Bratbakk said on Tuesday.
World Aquatics' Policy Change
Russian and Belarusian athletes were permitted to compete in WA events with their respective uniforms, flags and anthems since April 14. The global governing body added that Russia and Belarus would resume full membership rights.
Context of the International Ban
Competitors from Russia and Belarus were banned from international sporting events following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which was launched in part from Belarusian territory.
Regional Response and Broader Implications
Norway's Call for a Regional Boycott
Norway is now seeking a broader regional boycott of hosting duties.
Upcoming Nordic Meeting
"We are scheduled to meet with Nordic colleagues next week, where we hope our position will create momentum against the decision made by World Aquatics," Bratbakk said.
Similar Actions by Other Countries
The move follows a similar stance taken by Poland on Friday.
Response from World Aquatics
The WA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk, additional reporting by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk in Warsaw, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
Key Takeaways
- •The Norwegian Swimming Federation formally declined to host championships while World Aquatics allows Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete with national symbols. This follows World Aquatics’ April 13, 2026 decision reinstating full participation rights for senior athletes from those countries, including flags, uniforms, and anthems (aa.com.tr).
- •Poland has taken a parallel stand, refusing to host Russian and Belarusian athletes at the 2027 European Diving Championships and previously blocking their entries for events near Ukraine’s border due to security concerns (united24media.com).
- •The rift highlights growing tensions within the international aquatics community between federations supporting reintegration of Russian and Belarusian athletes—including under national symbols—and those invoking solidarity with Ukraine and regional security concerns (aljazeera.com).
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Swimming-Norway joins Poland in refusing to host Russians and Belarusians
1Why is Norway refusing to host international swimming championships?
The Norwegian Swimming Federation refuses to host championships as long as World Aquatics allows Russian and Belarusian athletes full participation, including flags and anthems.
2What prompted the Norwegian Swimming Federation's decision?
Norway made the decision after World Aquatics lifted restrictions and allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete with full rights, including national symbols.
3Is there a broader movement against Russian and Belarusian participation in swimming?
Yes, Norway is seeking a broader regional boycott and has scheduled discussions with Nordic federations to gain support.
4Which other country has taken a similar stance as Norway?
Poland has also announced a refusal to host international swimming events involving Russian and Belarusian athletes.
5When were Russian and Belarusian athletes allowed to return to World Aquatics events?
Russian and Belarusian athletes were permitted to return to World Aquatics events starting April 14.
