"I’ve been forbidden from performing on the rings." An interview with the shadow leader of the Russian national gymnastics team Rustam Imamov November 2, 2026, 15:00 Moscow Time. Championat Veteran gymnast Sergey Naidin reflects on the 2026 World Championships in Rotterdam and more. The World Artistic Gymnastics Championships were marked not only by controversies surrounding the exclusion of top Russian female gymnasts but also by some welcome successes. The men’s team, for instance—from whom little was expected following a mixed performance at the European Championships in Zagreb—truly exceeded all expectations: they secured second place in the team all-around event and earned a quota spot for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Unexpected leaders also emerged—most notably Sergey Naidin, who, in addition to the team medal, claimed bronze on the horizontal bar. At 25, he is one of the most experienced members of a national team currently undergoing a generational shift; he is al...
Is Sports Politics Threatening to Destroy Sport? 4 November 2026 It isn’t just gymnastics that is being affected by visa refusals, political boycotts and disputes over Russia’s return to international competition. Ice hockey is now facing a crisis that threatens the organisation of some of its most important championships. On 30 October, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favour of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, overturning the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) continued exclusion of Russian national teams. CAS found that the IIHF had not provided sufficient evidence to justify the exclusion on security grounds. The IIHF has expressed disappointment with the ruling but has confirmed that it will comply. However, the decision has triggered a wave of opposition from national federations, governments and commercial sponsors. Six European countries — Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Latvia and the Czech Republic — have announced that they will refu...