Dutch Embassy Declines to Say When Approved Visas Will Be Issued to Two Russian Gymnasts

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

Moscow, October 14. /TASS/. According to the federation, the Dutch embassy has given visas to gymnasts Muhammedjon Yakubov and Zlata Osokina to participate in the world championships.

"The Russian Gymnastics Federation, through the European Union's open information source, has received information confirming that visas have been approved for two more Russian gymnasts - Muhammedjon Yakubov and Zlata Osokina. Yakubov was placed on the reserve list for the main roster of the Russian men's national team for the World Championships in Rotterdam. The federation said in a statement that it would not respond to RGF's requests for the date and time of the issuance of visas to athletes.

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

The World Championships will be the first team selection stage for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Based on the results obtained, the top three men's teams and the top three women's teams will receive Olympic quota. Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev said on Tuesday that the Russian Olympic Committee has requested the International Olympic Committee and the World Gymnastics Committee to remove the competition in Rotterdam from its preliminary status.

Earlier, gymnasts Daniil Marinov, Arseny Dokhnou, Sergey Naidin and Alena Glotova entered the Netherlands with Schengen visas. Later, Lyudmila Roshchina, Milana Kayumova, Ilya Zaika, Savli Sidin and Elizaveta Os received their visas.