Russian gymnasts were denied Dutch visas due to threats to international relations

The World Artistic Gymnastics Championships will be held in Rotterdam from October 17 to 25

Moscow, October 13. /TASS/. The Russian Gymnastics Federation announced that the official reason given by the Netherlands for refusing entry visas to Russian athletes seeking to participate in the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships was a threat to international relations.

Earlier, the Dutch embassy refused to issue visas to Olympic champions Angelina Melnikova and Victoria Listonova, as well as Anna Kalmykova. The World Artistic Gymnastics Championships will be held in Rotterdam from October 17 to 25.

Official notices of visa rejections for Angelina Melnikova, Viktoria Listonova and Anna Kalmykova state the following reason: One or more member states of the Schengen area consider the athletes a threat to their international relations. This was precisely the reason for denying visas to three prominent Russian gymnasts four days before the start of the World Championships in Rotterdam.

Tass previously reported that gymnasts Daniil Marinov, Arseniy Dokhnou, Sergey Naidin and Alena Glutova have arrived in the Netherlands having received Schengen visas. Five other Russian athletes scheduled to compete - Lyudmila Roshchina, Milana Kayumova, Ilya Zayka, Savli Seidin and Muhammedjon Yakubov - are awaiting their entry visas.

The Rotterdam tournament will be the first team selection stage for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. In the continuation of the competition, the top three men's and women's teams will become Olympians