Russian synchronized swimmers forced to remove the image of a bear from the swimwear at the Olympics

In addition to the design of swimwear, the Russians were forced to make changes to the musical accompaniment, removing the word Russia from the lyrics of the song.

“We sent a sketch of swimsuits for approval, and we were told that due to the fact that the swimsuits have an image of a bear, they cannot be approved, as it is associated with our country”, - RIA Novosti quotes Svetlana Romashina as saying.

According to Kommersant, the athletes decided not to challenge the IOC's decisions, so as not to waste time on litigation on the eve of the performance, but to concentrate as much as possible on preparing the program.

The IOC clarified that recommendations for removing the bear do exist.

The reason for the exclusion of the word Russia from the song and the image of a bear from swimsuits was the sanctions imposed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against Russians.

After the scandal with the substitution of tests and the use of prohibited drugs by Russian athletes at the World Championships and the Olympic Games, Russians cannot compete under the national flag. If they win, then the national anthem will not sound in their honor when the Olympians are on the podium.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will take place from July 23 to August 8, 2021. Its holding was postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to the decision of the Japanese authorities, the games will be held without foreign fans to protect against the further spread of the virus in the country. The Russian national team at the Olympic Games in Tokyo will consist of 335 athletes. This is 50 people more than at the previous summer Olympics.

At the same time, athletics will be represented by only 10 Russians, since in March the Council of the International Association of Athletics Federations (World Athletics) allowed Russian athletes to compete in international competitions in a neutral status, but only no more than ten Russian athletes will be able to compete in major international tournaments.

The Tokyo Olympics will feature a transgender athlete for the first time.