Moscow, April 14 : World Aquatics has announced that it had lifted sanctions on Russian and Belarusian athletes and would allow them to compete with their national flags and anthems.

"Following a decision of the World Aquatics Bureau, and in consultation with the Aquatics Integrity Unit (AQIU) and the World Aquatics Athletes' Committee, the Guidelines for Athlete Participation in Aquatics Events During a Period of Political Conflict will no longer apply to senior athletes with Belarusian or Russian sporting nationality," the sport's governing body said in a statement published on its official website.

"Senior athletes with Belarusian or Russian sport nationality will be permitted to compete in World Aquatics events in the same way as their counterparts representing other sport nationalities, with their respective uniforms, flags and anthems," it added.

It also said that athletes with Belarusian or Russian sport nationality will only be permitted to compete once they have successfully passed at least four successive anti-doping controls carried out in partnership with the International Testing Agency (ITA) and completed background checks with the AQIU.

The World Aquatics Bureau had previously amended the Guidelines, which are implemented by the AQIU, to enable junior athletes with Belarusian or Russian sport nationality to participate on the same basis as their fellow junior athletes.

â??Over the last three years, World Aquatics and the AQIU have successfully helped ensure that conflict can be kept outside the sporting competition venues. We are determined to ensure that pools and open water remain places where athletes from all nations can come together in peaceful competition,â?? said World Aquatics president Husain Al Musallam.

Russian Sports Minister and President of the Russian Olympic Committee Mikhail Degtyarev welcomed World Aquatics' decision on the same day.

"We welcome World Aquatics' decision to readmit Russian and Belarusian athletes to all international aquatic competitions on an equal footing with other athletes, in national uniforms, with their national flags and anthems," Degtyarev said.

Under Article 6 of the World Aquatics Constitution, Russia and Belarus have also fully resumed their membership rights.

/IANS