Polstjanaja was born in Latvia but lived and trained in Russia until earlier this year.

In an Instagram post lamenting that she would not be appearing at the World Championships in Sofia next month, Polstjanaja said the situation was "terribly disappointing, as if half of you were destroyed".

Speaking to Russian state news agency TASS, Polstjanaja elaborated and said the Latvian Olympic Committee (LOK) had issued an ultimatum that she relinquish Russian citizenship or stop being able to compete for Latvia.

The 19-year-old has been a World Cup medallist in 2022 and placed fourth in the hoop final at the European Championships.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, "I was given a condition to stop training in Russia, and since March I have been training in Latvia no longer with my personal trainer," Polstjanaja told TASS.

"In July, I came to Moscow for a few days to see everyone. 

"A week ago I returned to Latvia to start preparing for the World Championships in Sofia. 

"And when I arrived, the Latvian Olympic Committee set a specific condition for me: either I give up the Russian citizenship and continue to compete, or I will no longer be able to represent Latvia at international competitions, having a passport of a Russian citizen in my hands."

insidethegames has approached the LOK for comment.

Russian athletes will be banned outright from the World Championships because of the war in Ukraine, with the International Gymnastics Federation following advice from the International Olympic Committee.

Competitors from Belarus will also be banned as the nation has offered tactical support to the Russian invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of carrying out war crimes, including executing civilians.

Russia calls the attack a "special military operation" and claims to be seeking to "de-nazify" Ukraine - an assertion widely dismissed as fictitious.