The Price of National Pride: Russia's Return to International Competition The decision by World Aquatics to allow Russian athletes to compete under their national flag at the Women's World Cup finals has reignited controversy over the intersection of politics and sport.
As Russian water polo players took to the pool in Sydney, waving their flag and singing the national anthem, a small group of Ukraine supporters protested outside the venue.
This uneasy blend of sport and politics is not new. The 1956 Olympics in Melbourne saw Hungarian and Soviet water polo players clash just weeks after the Soviet invasion of Hungary.