Ivanova – about the neutral status of gymnasts of the Russian Federation: “How much can you humiliate our country? I don’t want conventions for a big sporting power.

Two-time Olympic artistic gymnastics champion Lidia Ivanova, commenting on on the decision of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international competitions in a neutral status, said she does not want any conventions for Russia.

On Wednesday, following the meeting of the FIG Executive Committee, the latter decided to authorize Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international competitions in a neutral status from January 1, 2024.

– How long can you humiliate our country? I will say shamelessly, we are a great sporting power. Of course, the Olympics are bad without us. They want and cannot. Because they are not independent.

If we’re only talking about a neutral status, that’s one thing… However, I’m sure that all of this comes with the conditions that flow from Bach. Nevertheless, it is good that the International Gymnastics Federation allows at least a little Russia and Belarus to perform, albeit in a neutral status. I don’t like to be neutral. Three Olympic Games have already been held under a neutral flag, well, how many more could have been? But there was still no SVO. They tilted us once and now they want us to be lower and lower.

I really don’t want conventions for a major sporting power, which is Russia, as well as for Belarus, Ivanova told .

In March 2023, the IOC Executive Committee recommended that international federations, if Russians are allowed to start, do so individually, in a neutral status, without participating in team events, and also exclude the participation of athletes associated with law enforcement and expressing support for the SVO.

In February 2022, due to the situation in Ukraine, the FIG banned the use of Russian and Belarusian flags and anthems in international tournaments, and in March of the same year deprived athletes from Russia and Belarus of the right to participate in international competitions.