Russian and Belarusian swimmers will not be invited to compete at European Swimming League-sanctioned events, the organisation's Bureau has announced ©Getty Images

The European Swimming League (LEN) has announced that it will not be inviting athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus to events but no changes will be made to its committees that feature Russian members.

The LEN Bureau staged a virtual meeting when it outlined its stance against Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine.

Members of the Bureau claimed it "strongly condemned all acts of violence" and expressed solidarity with Ukrainian athletes impacted by the war.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recommended that all Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials should be banned from all international sporting events.

With many International Federations opting to implement the IOC’s recommendations, the LEN Bureau agreed that it would not allow athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus to participate in sanctioned events "until further notice".

Russia have finished top of the medals table at the last two editions of the European Aquatics Championships, including at Budapest last year, where they won a total of 20 gold medals ©Getty Images
Russia have finished top of the medals table at the last two editions of the European Aquatics Championships, including at Budapest last year, where they won a total of 20 gold medals ©Getty Images

Among events swimmers from Russia and Belarus are set to miss is the European Aquatics Championships, due to take place in Rome between August 11 and 17. 

Russia have finished top of the medals table at five of the last eight editions of the Championships, including the last two, at Glasgow in 2018 and Budapest last year.

They won a total of 42 medals in the Hungarian capital, including 20 gold. 

The LEN Bureau added that no competitions would be staged in or awarded to the two countries as Russian forces continue to attack Ukrainian cities, with Belarus assisting in the invasion.

Europe’s governing body for swimming claimed it remained in close contact with Ukraine’s National Federation and planned to "assist where possible and coordinate support".

While the LEN is refusing to invite Russian and Belarusian swimmers, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) has decided against issuing a blanket ban of all athletes from the two nations, allowing them instead to compete as neutrals.

But FINA Bureau has stressed that it has a legally robust option to exclude them "if their attendance threatens the safety and wellbeing of athletes or places the conduct of competition at risk".

Portugal’s António José Silva became the new President of the LEN, ending Italy’s Paulo Barelli’s 10-year reign, following an Extraordinary Congress last month.

All of the 19 candidates, including Silva, representing the Europe 4 All Aquatics movement were successful in securing LEN leadership positions.

The LEN has confirmed that its committees will not be changed in 2022 with a review scheduled to be undertaken after the next FINA Congress, due to be held in June in Hungarian capital Budapest.

Olga Brusnikina, Sergey Naumov, Svetlana Moiseeva, Alexei Akatiev, Alexander Danilov, Vadim Akhmadiev and Vitaly Guro are the seven Russian LEN Committee members.