The BWF expelled representatives from both countries from the competitions last March following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In April this year, the federation’s leadership announced that it had found no satisfactory justification for lifting their suspension.
It thus refused to follow the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee, which called on individual sports associations to allow representatives from Russia and Belarus to return under clearly defined conditions as neutral athletes.
But now the BWF has reconsidered its position. “We feel that the decision to lift the suspension of Russian and Belarusian athletes who meet the criteria to participate as individual neutral athletes is a positive step forward in our efforts to promote peace and solidarity,” BWF President Poul-Erik Hoyer said in a statement.