Russian tennis players may be required to denounce Vladimir Putin to be allowed to compete at Wimbledon, MPs have been told.
Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said that "nobody flying the flag for Russia should be allowed" to play but suggested that some players could be considered if they weren't supportive of the Kremlin.
Talks are being held with the All England Lawn Tennis Club over how to proceed on the issue, he told the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee.
Asked about the prospect of Russian men's world number one Daniil Medvedev competing at Wimbledon, the minister said: "Many countries have agreed that they will not allow representatives from Russia to compete.
"There are also visa issues as well. When it comes to individuals, that is more complex.
"We need some potential assurance that they are not supporters of Vladimir Putin. We are considering what requirements we may need to try and get some assurances along those lines."
Mr Huddleston said many athletes have multiple or dual citizenships and could be willing compete as "non-aligned, non-flag bearing entities".
Tennis players from Russia and Belarus cannot compete under their own flags following Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
But the sport has stopped short of banning these athletes from competing completely, unlike football which has suspended Russian teams until further notice.
Mr Huddleston suggested the ban on Russia taking part in global sporting events will last as long as it "continues to be a pariah".
“They will last I think for some time, including Russia not being able to bid for major sporting events now which could be many, many years in the future.
“I think it’s going to be quite a while before we welcome Russia back onto the world sporting stage.”
The top Tory said Putin's brutal offensive in Ukraine had proved a "wake-up call" over the presence of Russian money in sport.
He added: "I think we are on the cusp of quite significant change in sport."
But he dodged answering questions about the Saudi ownership of Newcastle United - following the executions of 81 people by the kingdom in recent days.
Mr Huddleston refused to comment on individuals under sanction - such as Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich - but admitted that more needed to be done on football club ownership.
He said: “The Government did not make decisions relating to those acquisitions but they were subject to the Premier League’s own owners’ and directors’ tests.
“The Premier League are also assessing that test. We do recognise there is a need for further refinement and more robust owners’ and directors’ tests and the integrity element of that is something that is being pushed.”
