European Aquatics has issued a clarification to its Member Federations regarding the participation of athletes holding Russian or Belarusian passports in European Aquatics competitions from February 2026 onwards, following the introduction of updated World Aquatics regulations.
The position is aligned with guidance from the International Olympic Committee and the World Aquatics Guidelines for Athlete Participation in Aquatics Events During Periods of Conflict, which entered into force on 1 February 2026 Guidelines-for-athlete-particip….
Crucially, the framework introduces a clear distinction between Youth & Junior events and Senior competitions, with significantly different eligibility criteria.
Youth and Junior events: restrictions lifted
For Youth and Junior categories, athletes holding Russian or Belarusian passports will no longer be subject to participation restrictions in European Aquatics competitions.
This applies to both:
- Individual events
- Team events
Under the updated approach, non-senior athletes may compete:
- Without background checks
- Under their national identity
- With flags, anthems, uniforms and national identifiers permitted
This is consistent with the World Aquatics Guidelines, which explicitly state that they do not apply to age-group competitions, including youth and junior championships Guidelines-for-athlete-particip….
Participation remains conditional on the relevant national federations being in good standing with European Aquatics.
Senior events: neutral athlete status remains mandatory
A more restrictive framework continues to apply at Senior level.
Athletes and support personnel holding Russian or Belarusian passports may only participate in European Aquatics Senior events if they:
- Apply for, and
- Are granted Neutral Athlete status
This applies to both individual and team competitions, and mirrors the process already used during the 2025 European Aquatics Junior Championships, which European Aquatics cited as its procedural reference.
The neutral status process is administered by the Aquatics Integrity Unit (AQIU) under World Aquatics regulations and includes verification checks to ensure compliance with eligibility criteria Guidelines-for-athlete-particip….
What “Neutral Athlete” status means in practice
The World Aquatics Guidelines set out strict conditions for Neutral Athletes and their support personnel, including:
- No display of national flags or symbols
- No national anthems (the World Aquatics anthem is used instead)
- Uniforms must be a single plain colour, with no political or national references
- The acronym “NA” must be used in official start lists, results, rankings and TV graphics
- Athletes and staff must not express support for any conflict, including through public statements or social media activity
- Media interactions must be strictly limited to sporting performance, with no references to the conflict or national affiliation
Any breach of these conditions can result in the immediate withdrawal of neutral status or exclusion from competition.
Support personnel and officials
European Aquatics confirmed that support personnel — including coaches, medical staff and team officials — across youth, junior and senior events will follow the same approval procedures used during the 2025 Junior competitions.
Under World Aquatics rules:
- The number of support personnel may be limited
- Technical officials from nations in conflict may not be appointed
- Government or state officials from those nations are not permitted to attend or be accredited
Events and hosting restrictions remain in force
The guidelines also reaffirm that:
- No World Aquatics or European Aquatics events may be hosted in Russia
- Neutral athletes may not be linked to national federations from nations in conflict in any official capacity
- Violations are subject to disciplinary action, with appeals limited to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Guidelines-for-athlete-particip…
A two-track system for 2026
Taken together, the European Aquatics clarification confirms a two-track participation system for 2026:
- Youth & Junior events: full participation restored, with national identity permitted
- Senior events: conditional participation under strict neutral-athlete regulations
The framework reflects broader international sports governance trends, balancing competitive inclusion with compliance to international integrity, neutrality and conflict-related regulations.
Follow Waterpolo 360 on Facebook, Instagram and X