17 March 2025

By Göran R Buckhorn

Göran Buckhorn is still unhappy.

In 2023 and 2024, the World Rowing Executive Committee allowed a limited number of eligible athletes holding a Russian or Belarusian passport to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes (Athlètes individuel neutres; AIN) in a limited number of boat classes at events those two years. The other day, World Rowing confirmed that it has extended those conditions to World Rowing events in 2025.   

World Rowing writes on its website:

The conditions for participation will remain similar as they were in 2024, within an extremely strict framework of eligibility criteria:   

1. Under the principle of absolute neutrality, including no flags, colours, anthems, uniforms, emblems or recognition of any sort – as defined in the Recommended Condition of Participation for Individual Neutral Athletes from the IOC;   
2. Background checks will be performed should they be required by World Rowing;  
3. An enhanced anti-doping control process operated by the International Testing Agency (ITA).   
4. A limited number of boat classes as outlined below:   

2025 World Rowing Cups (Varese, ITA and Lucerne, SUI):1x, 2- and 2x events only, including Para     
2025 World Rowing Under 19 Championships (Trakai, LTU):all events except 8+    
2025 World Rowing Under 23 Championships (Poznan, POL):all events except 8+    
2025 World Rowing Championships (Shanghai, CHN):1x, 2- and 2x events only, including Para     
2025 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals (Rio, BRA): Beach Sprint Finals, U19: 1x and 2x events only; Beach Sprint Finals, Seniors: 1x and 2x events only     
2025 World Rowing Masters Regatta (Banyoles, ESP):No clubs from RUS or BLR will be allowed to participate at the 2025 WRMR.  RUS and BLR Nationals who are not resident in RUS or BLR and are members of non-RUS/non-BLR registered Rowing clubs in foreign countries will be allowed to participate. Such clubs may be asked to confirm the membership of these participants.

In June 2023, I wrote an article about how disappointed I was that the World Rowing Executive Committee had followed the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow – though “under strict conditions” – Russian and Belarusian passport holders to participate in international sports events, including rowing.

Then, in 2023, World Rowing President Jean-Christophe Rolland said: “Following thorough consultations with our various stakeholders, and with different opinions on this sensitive matter being expressed and discussed in detail, our Executive Committee reached a decision that aligns with our shared principles of inclusion and placing athletes at the center of our decisions”. Rolland continued, “It also avoids punishing rowers for the action of their governments. Facing a highly complex situation, I believe we have found a solution that allows Rowing to play its role in building bridges between people and nations”.

I’m not sure that after slightly more than three years of war – longer if you count Russia’s occupation of Crimea, which began in February 2014 – the Ukrainian rowers feel any bridges have been built between themselves and the Russians.

So, yes, I’m still unhappy.