FIG President Morinari Watanabe cites the eight disciplines as reason for postponing the decision on Russia and Belarus ©Hurricane-UrbanSportsSummit

International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) President Morinari Watanabe claims the postponement of the decision on whether to readmit Russian and Belarusian athletes to competitions is due to the amount of disciplines the body governs.

FIG currently has control over artistic gymnastics for men and women, rhythmic, trampoline, acrobatic, aerobic, parkour, and gymnastics for all.

The organisation delayed the decision until July and its next Executive Committee meeting which left Russian and Belarusian gymnasts' chances of qualifying from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in doubt as they are set to be excluded from key competitions.

"We have eight disciplines and everything has different governance and we must find a criteria of neutrality that fits for all eight," International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Watanabe told insidethegames at the Urban Sports Summit in Montpellier.

"We need time, we cannot find neutrality criteria for the next day so that is why we need time.

The FIG has postponed the decision on whether to allow Russia and Belarus back to competition until July ©Getty Images
The FIG has postponed the decision on whether to allow Russia and Belarus back to competition until July ©Getty Images

"If today we decided something and then tomorrow a different decision is needed, this is not good for the athletes.

"That's why in two months we will decide what are the perfect conditions of neutrality." 

Watanabe said the conditions would almost certainly follow the IOC recommendations laid out in March.

These suggested that International Federations allow individual Russian and Belarusian athletes back provided they do not support the war and are not affiliated with their country's armed forces.

The FIG Executive Committee features multiple members from countries opposed to the two nations' reinstatement including Finland's Jani Tanskanen, Latvia's Arturs Mickevics and Romania's Maria Fumea.

The FIG Executive Committee includes multiple members from countries that are thought to be opposed to Russia and Belarus' reinstatement ©FIG
The FIG Executive Committee includes multiple members from countries that are thought to be opposed to Russia and Belarus' reinstatement ©FIG

European Gymnastics Union President and Azeri Sports Minister Farid Gayibov is also understood to have spoken out against their return. 

It has been expected that Watanabe would welcome back previously banned athletes after telling Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy that he would "defend the right of Russian and Belarusian gymnasts who are not involved in the war to participate in competitions".

A group of seven European countries, including Ukraine, boycotted last year's FIG Congress, which was moved from Sandefjord in Norway to Istanbul in Turkey due to the original host's refusal to welcome delegates from Russia and Belarus.

Watanabe defended the invitation of Russian and Belarusian officials, insisting "we have a duty to share our opinions" and arguing "unnecessary punishments create new hatred".

FIG had initially banned Russia and Belarus outright in March 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine the previous month.