Norway no longer wants to host the Junior European Diving Championships next year, nor any other championships that allow Russians and Belarusians. This follows the International Swimming Federation, World Aquatics, deciding to allow Russians and Belarusians to participate in international and continental championships.
"I have raised this in the Nordic Swimming Federation (including the Baltic countries)," says Cato Bratbakk, chairman of the Norwegian Swimming Federation, to NTB.
"I don't know how many have enshrined this in their union boards, but we expect it to be a formality."
“Take a stand”
The Swedish federation chairman tells TT that there is a board meeting on Friday and Saturday and that the issue of possibly following Norway's position will be discussed then.
"We are taking the development seriously. At present, we have no formal decisions to arrange or apply; there are lead times of several years, so it becomes a matter of principle for us," says Zätterström.
"But we will discuss the issue and will take a position on how we view the issue at that time."
The Nordic-Baltic group will then meet on Monday.
Criticized World Aquatics
The Polish Swimming Federation has reacted strongly to World Aquatics' decision regarding Russians and Belarusians, who have been banned for several years due to the war in Ukraine. It has said it will not allow Russians and Belarusians to compete in next year's European Diving Championships.
"It's a strong stance and we respect it. It's about Poland as a country and their guidelines and frameworks," says Pia Zätterström.
The Swedish Swimming Federation and Pia Zätterström have criticized World Aquatics, both for "the content of the decisions and the signal value they send."
"Normalizing Russian participation risks legitimizing an ongoing war and ultimately plays into the hands of the Russian state's propaganda machinery," Zätterström has said.
