Melnikova Wins Gold As Russia Returns To International Gymnastics After Ban
The post Melnikova Wins Gold As Russia Returns To International Gymnastics After Ban appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Russia’s Angelina Melnikova competes in the floor event at the women’s apparatus finals during the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships at the Kitakyushu City Gymnasium in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka prefecture on October 24, 2021. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Russia’s third-most decorated gymnast in history is back winning titles on the international stage. Angelina Melnikova returned to international competition for the first time since 2021, winning gold on balance beam and silver on floor exercise at the 2025 World Challenge Cup in Paris. The Russian veteran made headlines during a historic 2021 competitive season, leading the Russian Olympic Committee to gold over Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics and winning the 2021 World all-around title. However, Melnikova’s gymnastics reign was cut short in 2022 when Russian forces invaded Ukraine. In response to the war, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) banned Russian and Belarusian gymnasts from FIG-sanctioned events in March 2022. The ban was lifted on January 1, 2024, with the FIG permitting their return as “individual neutral athletes” (AIN) under strict conditions prohibiting national representation. ForbesUkraine Gymnastics Withdraws In Protest From Paris World Challenge CupBy Caroline Price Their approval to compete generated significant uproar, with many alleging Melnikova’s participation violates the International Gymnastics Federation’s (FIG) neutrality conditions detailed in their ad-hoc guidelines. Designated a “Champion of Terror” by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Melnikova competes for the Central Sports Club of the Army (CSKA), which is subordinate to the Russian Ministry of Defense. Ukraine considers athletes from this club to be representatives of “the armed forces of the aggressor state.” Furthermore, Melnikova’s political ties are notable: she ran in a local election in Voronezh in April 2025 and won the primary as a candidate for the pro-government United Russia party.…
The post Melnikova Wins Gold As Russia Returns To International Gymnastics After Ban appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.
Russia’s Angelina Melnikova competes in the floor event at the women’s apparatus finals during the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships at the Kitakyushu City Gymnasium in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka prefecture on October 24, 2021. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Russia’s third-most decorated gymnast in history is back winning titles on the international stage. Angelina Melnikova returned to international competition for the first time since 2021, winning gold on balance beam and silver on floor exercise at the 2025 World Challenge Cup in Paris. The Russian veteran made headlines during a historic 2021 competitive season, leading the Russian Olympic Committee to gold over Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics and winning the 2021 World all-around title. However, Melnikova’s gymnastics reign was cut short in 2022 when Russian forces invaded Ukraine. In response to the war, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) banned Russian and Belarusian gymnasts from FIG-sanctioned events in March 2022. The ban was lifted on January 1, 2024, with the FIG permitting their return as “individual neutral athletes” (AIN) under strict conditions prohibiting national representation. ForbesUkraine Gymnastics Withdraws In Protest From Paris World Challenge CupBy Caroline Price Their approval to compete generated significant uproar, with many alleging Melnikova’s participation violates the International Gymnastics Federation’s (FIG) neutrality conditions detailed in their ad-hoc guidelines. Designated a “Champion of Terror” by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Melnikova competes for the Central Sports Club of the Army (CSKA), which is subordinate to the Russian Ministry of Defense. Ukraine considers athletes from this club to be representatives of “the armed forces of the aggressor state.” Furthermore, Melnikova’s political ties are notable: she ran in a local election in Voronezh in April 2025 and won the primary as a candidate for the pro-government United Russia party.…
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