UWW Lifts All Restrictions on Russian, Belarusian Wrestlers

Under the revised participation rules, "wrestlers from the two countries will now compete under their respective national flags across all categories, including senior-level competitions. Athletes and team staff will also be permitted to display the abbreviations 'RUS' and 'BLR' on their uniforms," UWW said in a release.

"Additionally, the national anthems of Russia and Belarus will be played during medal ceremonies if their wrestlers secure gold medals or if their teams win championship titles,"it added.

UWW stated that all other competition procedures and protocols will continue to follow standard international wrestling regulations.

The latest move marks a major shift in UWW's stance since restrictions were first imposed following the geopolitical conflict surrounding Ukraine in 2022. In March of that year, the wrestling governing body aligned with International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommendations and barred Russian and Belarusian wrestlers and officials from participating in events on the UWW calendar.

Over the past two years, however, UWW has gradually eased those restrictions. In April 2023, the federation established an independent panel to assess the eligibility of wrestlers from Russia and Belarus under IOC-recommended participation guidelines. During the same period, athletes in the U15 and U17 categories from the two nations were permitted to compete internationally as neutral athletes.

A further relaxation came in January this year when the UWW approved the participation of Russian and Belarusian wrestlers up to the U23 age-group level under their national flags. The decision followed an IOC recommendation stating that youth athletes holding Russian or Belarusian passports should not face restrictions in international sporting events, including team competitions.

UWW also revised its eligibility framework in September 2024, before introducing another change in February 2025, when eligible athletes from both countries were allowed to compete under the UWW flag rather than the "Individual Neutral Athletes" designation. However, UWW did not authorise the use of national anthems or references to the flags, symbols, or coats of arms of Belarus and Russia.

With the latest policy update, those remaining limitations have now been lifted, fully restoring national representation for Russian and Belarusian wrestlers at UWW competitions worldwide.

- IANS