The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has officially announced that Russian athletes, national teams, and technical officials will be readmitted to all competitions under its auspices. The decision was made by the FIVB Administrative Board on July 8, 2026, just one day after the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) reinstated the rights of the Russian Olympic Committee and declared that previous recommendations regarding the participation of Russian athletes and teams are no longer applicable.
The FIVB emphasizes that the decision is in line with the federation's longstanding policy of following IOC recommendations and reflects its commitment to protecting athletes' fundamental right to participate in sport regardless of their nationality.
Russian national teams will also be reinstated in the world ranking with the same number of points they held at the time of their freezing following the FIVB's decision in 2022.
We recall that in early May 2025, friendly matches were played in Belgrade between the men's and women's teams of Serbia and Russia.
However, the question of under which national symbols Russian teams will compete has not yet been finally resolved. The FIVB announced that the use of the Russian flag, anthem, national colors, and other distinctive symbols will be further determined jointly with the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) and in coordination with other international sports organizations, to ensure the full participation of athletes.
In accordance with IOC recommendations, the International Testing Agency (ITA) will develop and implement a special comprehensive anti-doping program for Russian athletes.
At the same time, the FIVB states that it remains deeply concerned by the ongoing war in Ukraine, strongly condemns all forms of violence, expresses hope for a peaceful resolution of the conflict as soon as possible, and will continue to support the Ukrainian volleyball community through the Volleyball Empowerment program.
The Russian Volleyball Federation described the decision as historic and emphasized that Russian volleyball is becoming the first team sport to receive permission to return to the international stage following the IOC's decision.
"Russian volleyball has been waiting for this decision for more than four years," stated Stanislav Shevchenko, president of the Russian Volleyball Federation.
He thanked the FIVB leadership for the constructive interaction and quick response following the IOC Executive Board meeting, which enabled the FIVB Administrative Board to consider the matter and make a decision just one day later.
According to Shevchenko, the Russian Federation now expects an official roadmap for the phased return to the international stage. According to the information available to the federation, beach volleyball players will be admitted first, followed by classic volleyball.
"This is long-awaited news for the entire Russian volleyball community. For our part, we are ready for the return and for full participation in international competitions," Shevchenko added.
The first signs of "unfreezing" were precisely the friendly matches between Serbia and Russia in 2025, which were also attended by high-ranking CEV officials. It is keenly awaited how the Polish federation, which is hosting the World Championship in 2027, will react. The FIVB and CEV are yet to publish the specific procedures, deadlines, and schedule for the phased return of Russian national teams and clubs to international tournaments.
photos: Nikolay Varadinov
