History is repeating itself. Back in March at a Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup stage, Ukraine’s Taisiia Onofriichuk stood on the top step with gold, while Russian Sofia Ilteryakova took silver. But what people remember is the medal ceremony, when Ukraine’s flag was raised, and the anthem played. Ilteryakova turned her back to the flags and anthem instead of facing them. Now, just a few months later, on May 28, Ukraine seems to be returning the favour on the European stage, with emotions again spilling into another anthem moment.

At the 2026 European Junior Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Bulgaria, Russian and Belarusian athletes were back competing under their national symbols. Interestingly, for the first time in five years, the Russian anthem was heard at a European event in this discipline. And that comeback brought its own questions on the podium.

In the ribbon final, Russia’s Yana Zaikina took gold with 26.000, Ukraine’s Sofiia Krainska finished second scored 25.750, and Germany’s Melissa Dite came third with 25.300. But the results were not what people focused on for long. As soon as the Russian anthem began during the medal ceremony, Krainska reacted emotionally, covering her ears with headphones and shielding her eyes while standing still during the anthem. The moment was caught on camera and quickly spread online.

But this was not the only time it happened. In another final, Ukraine’s Varvara Chubarova also covered her ears, using headphones during the ball event. This time, it was Belarus’s Kira Babkevich who stood on the top step with gold, while the anthem played once again.

Why Russian and Belarusian gymnasts return to competition

This all became possible after nearly five years of restrictions, when in May 2026 World Gymnastics announced it was lifting all limits on athletes from Russia and Belarus.

“The [Executive Committee] has decided to lift all restrictions applicable to Russian and Belarusian athletes since February 2022, with immediate effect,” the official bulletin stated. “The FIG Ad-Hoc rules are therefore no longer in force.”

European Gymnast soon followed suit at its executive committee meeting on May 24, agreeing to the global federation’s direction by adopting its rules. This was a clear change in the conduct of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sports in the future.

The Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation strongly protested the decision, calling for an extraordinary World Gymnastics Congress to appeal the decision, and asking European Gymnastics to rethink. In its statement, it demanded: “Immediately ban all athletes, coaches, and officials from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus from participating in the 2026 European Championships in Varna, as they currently do not have any valid legal status (neither neutral nor national).”

They added, “Ensure an absolute ban by the Organizing Committee on raising flags and performing the anthems of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus at any locations of the European Championship.” Despite this opposition, the governing bodies proceeded with the policy change, allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes back into competition under their national symbols.