The Netherlands has denied visas to three leading Russian gymnasts, barring them from the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam, set to run from Oct. 17–25, the Russian Gymnastics Federation said.
Reigning all-around world champion Angelina Melnikova, Olympic team gold medalist Viktoria Listunova and European all-around silver medalist Anna Kalmykova were notified of the refusal by the Dutch Embassy in Moscow, according to the federation. The RGF called the decision “direct discrimination” and a “flagrant violation” of equal competition principles, alleging Dutch authorities sought to exclude top contenders from medal and Olympic qualification races .
The federation announced it would appeal to World Gymnastics and the International Olympic Committee to assess the impact on Olympic qualification fairness. Dutch officials, citing Schengen-area concerns, did not disclose individual visa details, while local organizers confirmed part of the Russian delegation was already en route .
The championships serve as the first qualifying event for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with the top three teams securing automatic berths. Russia’s team will compete under the neutral “World Gymnastics 2” designation per EU and Dutch regulations .
Other Russian gymnasts, including Lyudmila Roshchina and Milana Kayumova, reportedly received visas, with 47 of 61 delegation members approved as of Oct. 14 .
