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Netherlands denies visas to top Russian gymnasts for World Championships
The Netherlands has denied entry visas to three prominent Russian gymnasts, preventing their participation in the 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam. The affected athletes include reigning world all-around champion Angelina Melnikova, Olympic team gold medalist Viktoria Listunova, and Anna Kalmykova.
Official notifications stated that the denials were based on the reasoning that “one or more states – members of the Schengen Zone – consider the athletes a threat to their international relations.” The Russian Gymnastics Federation (RGF) has condemned the decision as “direct discrimination” and a deliberate attempt to exclude top competitors from medal contention and Olympic qualification.
The championships, scheduled to begin on October 17, serve as a critical qualification event for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The RGF announced intentions to appeal to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and World Gymnastics, requesting an assessment of how these denials impact the principle of equal conditions for Olympic selection.
While several other members of the Russian delegation, including Alyona Glotova and three male gymnasts, have received visas, the absence of the primary female stars significantly impacts the Russian team's competitive standing.
Entities
Angelina Melnikova · Anna Kalmykova · International Gymnastics Federation · International Olympic Committee · Netherlands · Rotterdam · Russian Gymnastics Federation · Viktoria Listunova · World Gymnastics
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 7 SOURCES] The Russian Gymnastics Federation intends to appeal to the International Olympic Committee and World Gymnastics regarding the impact on Olympic qualification equality. ridderkerksdagblad.nl · gymnastics-now.com · sputniknews.in · maisfutebol.iol.pt · www.record.pt · +2 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] Alyona Glotova and three male gymnasts, Arseniy Dukhno, Daniel Marinov, and Sergey Naidin, have received visas. forbesliberia.com · gymnastics-now.com · www.insidegymnastics.com
- [● 11 SOURCES] The Netherlands cited that one or more Schengen Zone members consider the athletes a threat to international relations as the reason for visa denials. gymnastics-now.com · www.tz.de · www.saarbruecker-zeitung.de · www.t-online.de · www.onetz.de · +6 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] The championships serve as a qualification event for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. ridderkerksdagblad.nl · gymnastics-now.com · www.insidegymnastics.com · sputniknews.in · maisfutebol.iol.pt · +5 more
- [● 19 SOURCES] The Netherlands denied visas to Angelina Melnikova, Viktoria Listunova, and Anna Kalmykova for the 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. forbesliberia.com · ridderkerksdagblad.nl · gymnastics-now.com · www.insidegymnastics.com · sputniknews.in · +14 more
- [● 12 SOURCES] The Russian Gymnastics Federation claims the Dutch visa denials are a deliberate attempt to exclude top gymnasts from medal contention and Olympic qualification. forbesliberia.com · ridderkerksdagblad.nl · gymnastics-now.com · www.insidegymnastics.com · sputniknews.in · +7 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] The 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships are scheduled to begin in Rotterdam on October 17. forbesliberia.com · ridderkerksdagblad.nl · gymnastics-now.com · www.insidegymnastics.com · maisfutebol.iol.pt · +6 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] World Gymnastics lifted the suspension on Russian athletes earlier this year, allowing them to compete under their national flag. ridderkerksdagblad.nl · sputniknews.in · www.tz.de · www.saarbruecker-zeitung.de · www.t-online.de · +1 more