Three Russian Gymnasts Reportedly Denied Dutch Visas

The Russian Gymnastics Federation says Dutch authorities have refused visas to three leading Russian gymnasts ahead of the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam, scheduled to begin October 17. The athletes are reigning world all-around champion Angelina Melnikova, Olympic team champion Viktoria Listunova and Anna Kalmykova, a European silver medalist. The federation said notices cited concerns about international relations, including the possibility that one or more Schengen states considered the athletes a threat to those relations. Dutch foreign and sports ministries declined to discuss individual applications and said the refusals were unrelated to athletic performance. The notices have not been made public, and the specific grounds for the decisions have not been independently established. The championships run October 17-25 and are the first team qualification event for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The top three teams in the women’s and men’s competitions will qualify for the Games.