“You need to know the rules and soberly evaluate the proposals, and not immediately run to the smell of money” – Salnikov on the situation with the Pan Arab Games

President of the All-Russian Swimming Federation Vladimir Salnikov told that athletes should be more responsible for private invitations to third-party tournaments and know the rules for participation, as well as regulations for changing sport citizenship.

The day before, on the website of the Pan Arab Games in Algiers, seven Russian athletes were announced as members of the Syrian national team in badminton, cycling, athletics, swimming, judo and artistic gymnastics. Russian swimmer Anastasia Sorokina is also in the list of declared athletes for this tournament as a member of the Syrian national team. Sorokina later told that she was not going to change sport citizenship and refused to speak at the Pan Arab Games.

“From what we know now, Syria has shown interest in finding athletes to participate in these Games. The invitation process on a private basis, not through the federation, has involved people who have neither the competence nor the responsibility to address these issues.

As for the athletes, if a person has no obligation and is ready to take this step, he does so according to his vision of the world. But there are rules you need to know, and you need to soberly evaluate these proposals, read materials, consult competent sources, what to do. If you just smell the money and run somewhere, you can get into a situation that certainly hasn’t brought anyone joy now,” Salnikov told .

The Pan Arab Games take place from July 5 to 15, 2023.