Gymnastics leader visits Ukraine as Olympic standoff deepens

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The president of the International Gymnastics Federation has paid a visit to Ukraine for talks with senior political figures amid a standoff over Russian athletes’ eligibility for Olympic qualifying events. A statement on the Ukrainian presidential website says FIG president Morinari Watanabe met with the Ukraine’s presidential office head Andriy Yermak and sports minister Vadym Guttsait. The visit came four days after the International Olympic Committee recommended that international sports governing bodies like the FIG readmit athletes from Russia and Belarus as neutrals without national symbols as qualifying for the Paris Olympics ramps up.