Russia Confirms that Suspended Rylov Will Be Allowed at Russian Championships

2022 RUSSIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• April 24-29, 2022
• Kazan, Russia
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Results

The All-Russia Swimming Federation says that Evgeny Rylov is eligible to compete in the 2022 Russian Swimming Championships that begin on Sunday in spite of a 9-month suspension by FINA.

FINA has not responded to a request for clarification on whether or not Rylov’s personal suspension and the national suspension levied on all Russian athletes and coaches for the remainder of 2022 are different, but his presence at Russian Nationals gives a clue.

Vladimir Salnikov, the four-time Olympic gold medalist and head of the All-Russian Swimming Federation, says that the meet is not covered by the FINA ban. Because this year’s meet is not under a FINA sanction, the ban does not apply, Salnikov explained.

This also implies that international records set at the meet won’t count as FINA records, nor will times count in the FINA World Rankings.

Because the All-Russian Swimming Federation is a direct signatory of the World Anti-Doping Code, WADA drug testing rules should still apply to the competition.

This all means that Rylov’s personal suspension is, effectively, only the 20 days from January 1 to January 20, because he was already ineligible for the first 8 months+ of his suspension as a Russian athlete.

Rylov’s presence at the rally was the precipitating incident for Russians to be suspended from both FINA competition and International Swimming League competition.

Rylov was given a 9 month suspension for his presence at a March 18 pro-war rally organized by Russian President Vladimir Putin. He was one of 8 Olympic medalists who appeared on stage at the event wearing both their medals and the “Z” that has become representative of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Rylov is entered in the 100 and 200 backstrokes, the two races where he won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. He is also entered in the 50 back and 100.

The United Nations Human Rights group estimates that 2,435 civilians had been killed in Ukraine since Russia invaded in February, and another 2,946 have been injured. Those estimates are as of midnight on April 21, 2022 local time. Local officials have estimated higher numbers.