The International Olympic Committee (IOC) have insisted that sporting federations should either move or cancel any upcoming events planned in Russia or Belarus amid war in Ukraine.
On Thursday, Russian troops entered Ukraine through Belarus when the invasion began on Thursday.
On Friday, Ukraine’s chief of staff revealed the Russians were utilising an airfield in neighbouring Belarus to prepare troops to attack Kyiv.
The IOC have condemned the two nations for breaching the ‘Olympic Truce’, which only ends seven days after the Winter Paralympics close next month and exists to promote peace after declaring the cancellation of any upcoming events set to be staged in the aggressive nations.
“The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee reiterated today the IOC's strong condemnation of the breach of the Olympic Truce by the Russian government and the government of Belarus through its support in this,” the IOC said in a statement.
The statement continued and said international sports federations “should take the breach of the Olympic Truce by the Russian and Belarusian governments into account” while prioritising the safety and security of the athletes.
The IOC's executive also said that Russian and Belarusian national flags should not be displayed and their respective anthems will not be played at international sports events.
Russia are already enduring sanctions as part of the World Anti Doping Agency controversy which ensured the nations athletes did not compete under their flag and their anthem was not played at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Their sanctions came following surfaced reports of widespread doping across many sports after the 2014 Sochi Games.
Russia is scheduled to host the short-course swimming World Championships in December, as well as the men’s volleyball World Championship in August and September
Despite the IOC’s intervention, the International Paralympic Committee will still allow Russian athletes to compete at the Games in Beijing - which start on March 4 - which means they could come up against competitors from Ukraine and Britain.
The invasion of Ukraine has already seen Russia losing the Champions League final - moved from St. Petersburg to Paris - the Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix and skiing World Cup events among many others.
