Alina Kabayeva commented on the denial of neutral status to Russian gymnasts

Olympic champion Alina Kabayeva, during a meeting with athletes at the rehearsal of the Alina 2025 festival on April 16, told why Russian gymnasts were denied neutral status.

She recalled the gymnast Karina Kireeva, who was denied neutral status by the special committee of the International Gymnastics Federation because of a photo taken with a child in a cap with a Red Star.

"The neutral status was not given. And because of what, do you know? Because the girl congratulated on Victory Day on social networks. Because the girl was photographed with a St. George ribbon. Because a girl, some little girl, came up to her [Kireeva] and hugged her there. And she had a cap with a Red Star. So she just came with Kireeva, took a picture like that, and posted it on social media. And that's it," Kabayeva said.

However, she added that the IOC rules do not specify the point on which gymnasts were denied neutral status.

"There's nothing written about it. She doesn't say anything about Nazism, she talks about her patriotism," the Olympic champion added.

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Athletes from the Russian Federation face difficulties receiving refusals

On April 5, the head coach of the Russian national rhythmic gymnastics team, Tatyana Sergayeva, reported that the committee of the International Gymnastics Federation, rejecting applications from Russian athletes for neutral status, made unfair decisions dictated by a biased attitude towards the country's athletes.