Olympic speed skating champion and Russian State Duma deputy Svetlana Zhurova told Match TV that the process of obtaining neutral status for Russian gymnasts will be a step towards the athletes being fully returned to international competitions in the future.
Earlier, First Vice President of the Russian Gymnastics Federation Vasily Titov told Match TV that the federation would begin the process of obtaining neutral status for athletes.
— I understand that the International Gymnastics Federation realizes that without Russians, all competitions are not as full-fledged. The season is starting now, and if we don’t start competing, we can miss it, and that means no World Championship selections, etc. Perhaps this is a step towards the fact that in the future we will be fully returned, but it is important to understand that this is a gradual process, negotiations are underway, and everyone understands everything.
I have mixed feelings about this, because on the one hand, fans would like to see our athletes with a flag and anthem, and on the other hand, you understand that for the guys this is an opportunity to get some quotas, opportunities to compete in international competitions, because then it will be very difficult to get out of the current situation, – Zhurova told Match TV.
FIG admitted Russians to international tournaments in neutral status from January 1, 2024, but Russian gymnasts were unable to take part in the qualifying competitions and did not get a chance to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games, which were held in Paris from July 26 to August 11.