Russia, Belarus to compete under neutral flags in Sofia World Cup
Applications from competitors representing 53 countries were filed for the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup in Sofia, the event organizers said. The tournament will run from March 28 to 30 at Arena 8888.
A total of 99 gymnasts will compete in the individual event. The entries include athletes from Russia and Belarus, who will compete under a neutral flag and without a national anthem. Bulgaria is expected to face strong competition from China, Italy, Israel, Japan, Spain, France, Brazil, Ukraine, and other countries, CE Report quotes BTA.
In the group event, 25 teams will compete for the medals, including Olympic champion China. Coach Vesela Dimitrova’s gymnasts will also face teams from Italy, Spain, France, Israel, Japan, and Ukraine. The absence of the teams from Brazil, Estonia, Egypt, and Kazakhstan is also notable.
The deadline for submitting nominative entries for the first stage is February 27, and for the second stage, March 12.
Under the programme, qualifications in both the individual and group events will take place on March 28 and 29 (Saturday and Sunday), with the finals scheduled for March 30 (Monday).
The Sofia World Cup will open this year’s series of four tournaments, which will serve as qualification events for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The remaining competitions will be held in Tashkent (April 10-12), Baku (April 17-19), and Milan (July 10-12). The same format will be maintained next year.
A week later, Sofia will also host the international Sofia Cup tournament. Scheduled for April 3-5 at Sofia Hall, the competition will feature junior and senior events in both the individual and group categories.
