Two-time Olympic swimming champion Yevgeny Rylov, who previously declined to accept a neutral status, has changed his mind. His comments were reported by "Match TV".
The athlete stated that he will obtain the status, as he wishes to compete in international events. "As practice shows, emotions are demanding," he emphasized.
Earlier, Rylov had announced that he was rejecting the neutral status. The swimmer expressed his desire to compete under the Russian flag.
World Aquatics allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in tournaments with a neutral status. Following this, Russian competitors attended the short course World Championships, where they secured second place in the medal standings. They won a total of ten medals — six gold and four silver.