LONDON: One of the key figures behind diplomatic efforts that secured Russian swimmers` return to elite competition at this week`s world championships is now hoping to end Russia`s sporting neutrality as officials push for wider Olympic participation.

The Russian Olympic Commitree was banned for violating the Olympic Charter in relation to Russia`s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but some of its athletes competed as neutrals at last year`s Paris Olympics and sports such as swimming are gradually welcoming more Russians back into the fold.

Dmitry Mazepin, president of the Russian Aquatic SportsFederation and vice-president of the ROC, told Reuters he would do his best to ensure that Russian athletes compete under their national flag in time for the Los Angeles 2028 summer Olympics and urged the sporting community to end double standards.

`If you are in the wrong sport, you will be punished,` Mazepin said in a telephone interview, pointing to sports like tennis and ice hockey, where individuals have been allowed to continue competing, while many swimmers have been left out in the cold.

`I`m happy for the moment that my athletes and swimmers can compete everywhere,` he said.

`Unfortunately with the neutralflag, but they can compete.

Mazepin ceded majority control of Russian fertiliser giant Uralchem in March 2022 and was sanctioned by Britain, the EU and Canada after Russia`s invasion of Ukraine.

He said negotiations on swimming participation included personal meetings with World Aquatics president Husain Al-Musallam and countering what he called `political` opposition from certain countries, particularly Nordic states.

The doping scandals that plagued Russian sport for years no longer form a part of opposition to Russians` participation, Mazepin said.`It`s always about political cases,` Mazepin said. `We do not discuss any doping issues.

Mazepin said sanctions have caused him problems, such as his being unable to attend the short course world championships in Budapest in December, or take meetings at IOC headquarters.

He was, however, able to attend World Aquatics Championships.

In October 2023, the IOC suspended the ROC for admitting regional sports organisations under the authority of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine as members. The four Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia were annexed afterreferendums that Western nations have dismissed as shams.

Mazepin said the ROC had made changes, now structured by federation rather than geography, and was pushing the IOC to remove restrictions based on its new structure. A final decision will ultimately come down to IOC President Kirsty Coventry, but previous IOC statements suggest any significant relief for Russia is unlikely while it continues to wage war in Ukraine.

The IOC has condemned Russia`s `senseless war`, describing it as a violation of the Olympic Charter for which it holds Russian and Belarusian states and governments responsible.-Reuters