Netherlands denies visas to three Russian gymnasts, including reigning world champion Melnikova
The Netherlands refused visas to Angelina Melnikova, Viktoria Listunova and Anna Kalmykova, who were due to compete at the Rotterdam world championships from 17 to 25 October. The Russian federation says it will appeal to World Gymnastics and the IOC.
Visa refusals for three team members
The Russian Gymnastics Federation (RGF) said the Dutch embassy in Moscow had notified the visa centre that it would not issue visas to three members of the women's national team: Angelina Melnikova, Viktoria Listunova and Anna Kalmykova, an 18-year-old. Melnikova is the reigning women's all-around world champion, and La Stampa describes Melnikova and Listunova as former Olympic champions. Il Fatto Quotidiano reports that the federation accuses the Netherlands of deliberately excluding the most competitive gymnasts from the championships.
The Embassy of the Netherlands in Moscow has notified the visa centre of its refusal to issue visas to three leaders of the Russian women's national team.
The federation added that, as a result, the gymnasts were deprived of the chance to compete at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. It called the refusal "discrimination" and a "violation" of the principles of equal competition, and accused Dutch authorities of trying to keep the "strongest gymnasts" out of the event. NOS reports that the federation was told one or more Schengen member states regard the athletes as a threat to their international relations.
Melnikova's visa in August
In August 2026 Melnikova was first denied a visa for the European Championships in Croatia. The decision was reversed on appeal, and she went on to win the all-around gold medal. NOS reports that she won three golds at those championships, one of them in the team competition. Russia also competed in Croatia under the name World Gymnastics 2 rather than under its national flag, the arrangement that was also planned for Rotterdam, according to NOS.
- Melnikova denied a visa for the European Championships in Croatia, later reversed on appeal
- Russian federation says the Netherlands refused visas to three gymnasts
- World Artistic Gymnastics Championships scheduled to open in Rotterdam
- Championships scheduled to end in Rotterdam
Olympic qualification and the appeal
Rotterdam is the first qualifying event for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, according to NOS and La Stampa. Il Fatto Quotidiano reports that in team competitions the three best-placed nations in the final each secure five Olympic places, for both men and women. The same outlet says Russia considers the absence of its most representative gymnasts a significant obstacle in the qualification race. BBC reports that the IOC eased restrictions on Russian athletes in July, opening a path to qualifying events for the 2028 Games after years of restrictions that followed the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The federation said it will appeal to World Gymnastics and the IOC, asking them to assess the situation and its consequences for equal qualification conditions.
Visa status for the rest of the team
NOS reports that five more team members are still waiting for visa decisions: Lyudmila Rochtchina, Milana Kayoumova, Ilia Zaika, Savely Sedin and Mukhammadjon Yakubov. Ouest France reports that four Russian gymnasts have already reached Rotterdam, none of them Melnikova. Citing L'Équipe, Ouest France says a source speaking to the TASS agency expected the remaining visas to be issued on 13 or 14 October, and that coaches and other specialists have already received theirs. Il Fatto Quotidiano reports that organizers confirmed on 13 October that part of the delegation, including athletes, had set off for the Netherlands, but a spokesperson could not say which gymnasts had received visas.
