Olympic gold medallists in team gymnastics at Tokyo 2020, Angelina Melnikova and Victoria Listunova, are among those who have been denied visas in Croatia.
The reason is that "no justifiable explanation for the purpose and conditions of the stay" had been provided, according to the Russian Gymnastics Federation.
Seven more people, both active athletes and members of the leadership team, have been denied visas. Sixty-five people in the Russian delegation applied for visas, and 54 were approved.
"We see the denial of visas as a complete deprivation of the chance for leading Russian athletes to compete and it sets a dangerous precedent," the Russian Federation wrote.
The International Gymnastics Federation lifted all restrictions on athletes from Russia and Belarus this spring.
