Table tennis body ITTF ends restrictions against Russian athletes

DPAMon, Jul 13, 2026·1 min read

Russian table tennis players can return to international competition without any restrictions and with their national symbols such as flag and anthem, the ruling body ITTF said on Monday.

The ITTF said that it has followed a recommendation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to lift restrictions imposed after the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

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"The ITTF Executive Board has decided that athletes holding a Russian passport shall be reinstated and permitted to participate in ITTF table tennis and Para table tennis events, under the ordinary conditions applicable to all athletes, with effect from 28 July 2026," a statement said.

The statement said that returning Russian athletes to international competition must meet the relevant anti-doping requirements applicable to their participation, including appropriate testing arrangements under the overall ITTF testing programme agreed with the International Testing Agency.

But the decision is without prejudice to any applicable law such as visa restrictions, sanctions regime or public authority instructions, the ITF said.

Earlier this month, Russia's Vladimir Sidorenko had surprisingly reached the final of the United States Smash tournament, then competing as a neutral athlete under the restrictions.