Russia Vows Consequences After Gymnastics Team Barred from Using State Symbols in Romania

MOSCOW, June 27. /TASS/. Russia will not ignore the ban on the Russian rhythmic gymnastics team's use of state symbols at competitions in Romania, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said in a commentary. As she diplomat pointed out, "Russian participants in the FIG World Challenge Cup rhythmic gymnastics competition in the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca (June 26-28) have encountered yet another manifestation of blatant arbitrariness and politicization of international sport." Despite recent decisions by the International Gymnastics Federation and the European Union of Gymnastics to lift all existing restrictions and reinstate our athletes, they were prohibited from using the national flag and anthem at the championships in Romania. "It's regrettable that the Russophobia that has been whipped up in Romania over the past few years is bearing such ugly fruit - it's exposing the chaos that reigns there, where arbitrary personalities are allowed to wreak havoc and disgrace a country that is clearly incapable of ensuring equal conditions for participants in major international competitions and therefore should be disqualified from bidding to host them. The Russian side will not leave this without consequences," Zakharova said. As she pointed out, the only possible and logical response from the Russian side was to refuse to participate in the competition. The situation appears all the more outrageous because the local mayor managed to maintain the so-called sanctions against our gymnasts, using far-fetched statements about opposing an 'aggressor state.' Neither the event’s organizers nor the authorities dared to contradict this provincial figure, who apparently decided to inflate his 'importance' in this way," Zakharova emphasized.