World Gymnastics lifts restrictions for Russian and Belarusian athletes from May 2026

International gymnastics federation World Gymnastics has lifted restrictions that have been in place for athletes from Russia and Belarus, according to Gymnastics Now. The decision takes effect in May 2026 and opens the door for athletes from both countries to participate fully in international competitions under the federation's auspices.

Recall that in recent years, Russian and Belarusian gymnasts have either been suspended from official competitions or permitted to compete exclusively under neutral status — without the right to compete under their national flags and with a number of other restrictions. World Gymnastics' May update effectively means the return of athletes from the two countries to the international gymnastics community on equal footing.

Beyond lifting restrictions, the federation announced the allocation of rights to host major competitions. A detailed list of tournaments granted official status was published in World Gymnastics' May update. The decisions were made within the framework of the regular cycle for distributing major international competitions, which the organization conducts on a regular basis.