The war in Ukraine is dividing the entire sports world. Even more so in swimming. At the European Short Course Championships, which begin this week, Russians are not welcome, while the International Swimming Federation, World Aquatics, has decided that athletes from Russia and Belarus, under certain conditions, will again be allowed to participate in international competitions.
The conditions set include that a maximum of one athlete from each country is allowed in a competition and that they undertake not to express support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Who in Russia can say they are against the war? Nobody. So they probably won't make it to the World Cup anyway. No one came to the World Cup in Berlin where they were invited, says the Swedish Swimming Federation's president Pia Zätterström to SVT Sport.
The Swedish Swimming Federation is still very critical of the decision by World Aquatics.
"The chairman (of World Aquatics) has said that he doesn't understand why we are so upset, that there are many conflicts to care about in the world. A very inappropriate statement. It's not a conflict, it's a war," Zätterström told SVT Sport.
Several Swedish swimmers are on the same line.
"I would like to say that we in Sweden are very united in the sport of swimming for what we want in these issues," says Swedish swimmer Michelle Coleman to SVT Sport.
Both Coleman and Sara Sjöström are thinking above all about their Ukrainian swimming friends.
"I hope that people take into account what is best for them when it comes to championships," Sjöström told SVT Sport.
"I'm in contact with many of them and I know what they think about the Russians and whether they should be involved or not. I think you should talk to the Ukrainian swimmers and see what they feel comfortable with," Sjöström continues.