Olga Pavlova on hosting the Euro 2028 in Russia: "Neutral status is unacceptable"

      The President of European Aquatics, António Silva, stated that Russia has the right to host the European Aquatics Championships in 2028, which is set to take place in Kazan, but a final decision has not yet been made. Honored coach of the Russian Federation and advisor to the chairman of the FSО "Dynamo" RT, Olga Pavlova, noted that for tournaments under the auspices of European Aquatics to be held in Russia, the rights of Russian athletes must be fully restored. "Indeed, Kazan retains the right to host the European Aquatics Championships. Initially, the tournament was planned for 2024, but the dates were ultimately shifted to 2028. António Silva's statement is further evidence that the international sports community is slowly but surely changing its attitude towards Russian sports. Yes, as of today, the restrictions on the ROC have been temporarily lifted, but this is just an interim solution. It is also necessary to achieve the restoration of the international status of RUSADA. We now need to assess the situation and conduct negotiations between representatives of European Aquatics and Russia, including the government of Tatarstan," explained Olga Pavlova. She also emphasized that for tournaments under the auspices of European Aquatics to be held in Russia, the rights of Russian athletes must be fully restored. "Russian synchronizers, swimmers, and divers competed at the championship in Paris under a neutral status. I believe this is unacceptable for tournaments held on Russian territory," stressed Olga Pavlova.

      Photo: © Ramil Gali / "Tatar-inform"