Ukrainian gymnasts protested the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes on Thursday during the 2026 European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Varna, Bulgaria.
The protests happened during the junior individual finals, specifically the ball and ribbon finals.
Belarus’ Kira Babkevich won the ball title, and Russia’s Iana Zaikina won the ribbon title.
Sharing the podium with Babkevich and winning bronze with the ball was Ukraine’s Varvara Chubarova. Sharing the podium with Zikina and winning silver with the ribbon was Ukraine’s Sofiia Krainska. Germany’s Melissa Diete rounded out both podiums, winning ball silver and ribbon bronze.
After accepting their medals, both Chubarova and Krainska proceeded to put earphones in their ears and cover their eyes while the Belarusian and Russian anthems played. Watch video here.
This is the first meet that Russian and Belarusian gymnasts are competing under their national flags and anthems since February 2022. World Gymnastics announced it was lifting all restrictions on athletes from the countries on May 18. European Gymnastics announced Sunday that it would follow suit after a meeting of its executive committee.
The Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation has condemned both decisions, calling for an extraordinary WG congress to challenge the ruling and asking the EG general assembly to join them in standing against the decision.
On Wednesday, UGF also called for the immediate ban of the Russian and Belarusian delegations from the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, citing what boils down to a legal loophole. Since WG lifted all restrictions and eliminated AIN (authorized neutral athlete) status, and since the EG general assembly hasn’t ratified its executive committee’s decision, UGF said athletes from both nations aren’t allowed to compete.
This is the second protest mounted at a World Gymnastics-sanctioned rhythmic meet in as many months.
During the Sofia Rhythmic World Cup on March 30, Sofiia Ilteriakova – at the time an AIN athlete from Russia – won silver in the hoop final. Ukraine’s Taisiia Onofriichuk won gold, and Italy’s Sofia Raffaeli took the bronze. When the Ukrainian national anthem played for Onofriichuk, Ilteriakova did not turn to face the flags, as required by WG rules. In response, WG issued a warning to Ilteriakova and said any similar violation or other breach would result in the withdrawal of her AIN status.
Earlier this week, Gymnastics Now reached out to WG to ask what sparked the change of position regarding the restrictions and what the international governing body’s response was to UGF’s request for an extraordinary congress. WG responded Thursday morning with the following statement:
“The Executive Committee’s decision to lift all restrictions imposed on Russian and Belarusian athletes is based on the principle of equal treatment for all athletes regardless of nationality in the true spirit of sport. World Gymnastics firmly believes that sport and politics must remain separate and that unity and solidarity should prevail at all sporting events. It should serve as a neutral platform that brings athletes and nations together in a spirit of fairness, mutual respect and solidarity.”
Gymnastics Now has followed up regarding the situation in Varna.
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