Is Russia returning to international sport? Ukraine boycotts a match after the federation's scandalous decision

Ukrainian water polo players refused to play against Russians: principles are more important than the result

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13 Apr 2026

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Збірна України з водного поло на турнірі в Мальті

The international federation for aquatic sports World Aquatics has decided to lift restrictions on Russian athletes and restore their national symbols — the flag and the anthem. The organization reported this on its official website ahead of the match between the national teams of Ukraine and the Russian Federation in the second division of the World Cup in water polo, which is taking place 7–13 April 2026 in Malta.

After that, the Ukrainian Water Polo Federation stated that the team will not take the field for the 7th place match against the Russians, even if they formally compete under a neutral status. The Ukrainian side emphasized that in conditions of war such matches are unacceptable, and called the very admission of representatives of the aggressor country to international competitions cynical.

“The team cannot play a match with “neutral” athletes, because there is no neutrality in a team that represents Russia. Every player on that side is a representative of a system that is destroying our country. Going out on the water against them would mean recognizing their right to be part of the global sporting community”, – explained the team’s head coach of the Ukrainian national team Oleksii Shvedov.

The Federation also emphasized that for Ukraine a technical defeat is a smaller price than participating in a game with representatives of a state that is waging war. The final decision of the tournament organizers regarding the situation is currently awaited.

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