# World Gymnastics official calls visa denials for Russian athletes ‘sad’

https://mins.news/en/item/103106

- TASS, 2026-10-16 13:00 UTC
- Sports
- Original: https://tass.com/sports/2203065

> World Gymnastics Secretary General Nicolas Buompane called the Netherlands’ refusal to issue visas to several Russian athletes “sad,” saying efforts had been made to persuade the Dutch government to issue visas to all athletes. Rotterdam hosts the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships on October 17–25. Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev said the Russian Olympic Committee would appeal to the IOC and World Gymnastics to have the event stripped of Olympic qualifying status.

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