At the Men’s Water Polo World Cup 2026, Division 2 international tournament in Malta, a situation arose that caused a wide resonance. On 13 April, the national teams of Ukraine and Russia, which is playing under the Neutral Athlete B status, were to meet in the seventh place match.
The President of the Ukrainian Water Polo Federation, Oleksandr Svishchov, said that the Ukrainian team would not take part in the match. His position on the participation of Russian athletes remains consistent and principled.
He stressed that the admission of so-called “neutral” athletes is a “cynical disregard for the memory of the victims of the war”, and this position is supported by the entire team.
Oleksandr Svishchov emphasised:
“Every time we are offered a ‘sporting rivalry’ with the Russians, we remember the numerous victims and misfortunes that our people have suffered, the destroyed cities and villages, the millions of Ukrainians affected.”
He added: “Ukraine will not play with those who destroy our lives and future. The only way is complete isolation of the aggressor.”
According to him, “Sport is a struggle of characters, but not at the cost of principles. A technical defeat is more important to us than participation in a match with representatives of the aggressor country. The dignity of the nation is above all.”
He also noted:
“We cannot shake hands with those whose state wages war against us every day. Moral defeat is what we are really afraid of. There is no neutrality between the aggressor and the victim.”
Svishchov criticised the decision of World Aquatics to allow Russian athletes to participate from 2026, calling it “immoral”, and called on Ukrainian and international organisations to take decisive action.
“Ukrainian sport today is part of the struggle. We remain loyal to our country. The aggressor has no place in world sport,” he concluded.
The Ukrainian side is currently awaiting the final decision of the tournament organisers, while stressing that the principles of humanity and justice are more important than tournament points.
