Russian Gymnastics Stars Denied Croatian Visas Ahead of European Championships

Two days before their scheduled departure for the European Gymnastics Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, a group of Russian women’s gymnastics stars—including Angelina Melnikova, Victoria Listonova, Anna Kalmykova, Lilia Vasilieva, Alexei Osatshyev, Sergei Naidin, Evgeny Kisel—along with head coach Yuli Kokshinkov and team doctor Sergei Golivsky, were excluded from receiving Croatian visas.

Championship as World Championship qualifier

The European Championships, hosted by Croatia’s capital city Zagreb, serve as a critical qualifying event for the 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.

Impact on Russian team qualification

If the Russian women’s national team’s top athletes are unable to compete in Zagreb, the team will be forced to enter the World Championships qualifying process without its leading competitors.

Russian Gymnastics Federation’s official statement

In an official statement, the Russian Gymnastics Federation detailed the visa crisis: “Two days before the scheduled travel date to Zagreb, the stars of the Russian women’s national team—as well as several male team athletes and staff—have not received Croatian visas, and no official notification has been issued to us explaining the reasons for the refusals.”

Selective visa issuance raises concerns

The Federation emphasized that the selective nature of the visa approvals constitutes a deliberate effort to sideline one of the strongest title contenders. It noted: “While reserve athletes and other members of the Russian delegation have received their visas, the stars of the senior women’s national team remain without visas at this time.”

Diplomatic escalation and next steps

The Russian Gymnastics Federation confirmed it has formally notified both the International Gymnastics Federation and the European Gymnastics Union about the situation. The Federation stated it will take all necessary measures to compel the host country to ensure the participation of Russian athletes in the competition.