The Ukrainian Government announced yesterday that athletes from the country would boycott any Olympic qualifier where Russian and Belarusian athletes are competing.

The move has led to criticism from the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), claiming it represented a "clear politicisation of sport".

The IOC echoed the ANOC’s comments, insisting it was "not up to Government to decide which athletes can participate in which international competitions".

"If implemented, such a decision would only hurt the Ukrainian athlete community, and in no way impact the war that the world wants to stop, and that the IOC has so vehemently condemned," a statement from the IOC read.

"If implemented, such a decision would also go against the position of a number of Ukrainian athletes and other members of the Ukrainian Olympic community."

The IOC referenced a statement from the Ukrainian Tennis Federation which claimed that any decision by the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine (NOCU) and the country’s Sport Ministry to ban athletes from competing against Russians and Belarusians would lead to "the destruction of tennis".

According to the IOC, there are 70 armed conflicts and crises going on in the world at the moment.

"National Olympic Committees in the regions impacted by these armed conflicts and wars are following the principles of the Olympic Charter," the IOC added.

"They are not requesting the exclusion of athletes from the other party in the armed conflict or war, and they are allowing their athletes to compete in international sporting competitions without restrictions."

Russian and Belarusian athletes have been largely banned from international sport since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Following a meeting of the IOC Executive Board last week, it was recommended that athletes from the two nations should be allowed to return to the global sporting stage as neutrals as long as they do not support the war in Ukraine and are affiliated to the military.

NOCU President and Ukrainian Sports Minister Vadym Guttsait reportedly staged a meeting with Ukrainian sports federations to discuss the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes following the IOC’s decision.

According to Ukrainian news website Tribuna, which revealed details of the meeting, Guttsait said he understood back in December that there was a push for Russians to return to sport.

Guttsait also revealed that IOC members held a call with representatives from more than 200 countries on March 27.

"African, Asian and Latin American countries support the return [of Russians and Belarusians]," said Guttsait.

"And I want to say that the President of the European Olympic Committees also supported the return at this meeting.

"The US took a tougher position - more against than for return.

"Canada, New Zealand - completely against.

"80 per cent of the other representatives were in favour of returning."

It is reported by Tribuna that the Ukrainian Sports Ministry is creating a working group to help National Federations find evidence of Russian athletes supporting the war.

"I do not absolve myself of any responsibility - I have never buried my head in the sand like an ostrich," said Guttsait.

"I will always be by your side.

"I constantly tell what I'm doing.

"But now all the responsibility is on the federations - we need to act, there is no time."

The meeting saw National Federations in sailing, boxing, canoeing, volleyball, hockey, triathlon, dance sports, sports shooting, fencing, athletics, skiing and wrestling express their views against the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes, according to Tribuna.

The Boxing Federation of Ukraine insisted that it would boycott all competitions if Russians participate and expected up to 17 countries to follow suit.

It was among 11 national governing bodies that shunned the recent International Boxing Association Women's World Championships in Indian capital New Delhi after boxers from Russia and Belarus were allowed to take part.

National Federations in triathlon, dance sports, fencing and wrestling also spoke about plans to withdraw from events where Russians are present.

Mykhailo Ilyashev, the newly-elected head of the Ukrainian Fencing Federation, backed a collective boycott of the Olympics.

"This decision must be made now, because if the athletes do not compete in the qualifying competitions, then there will be no question of participation in the Olympics," said Ilyashev.

Yevhen Pronin, acting head of the Ukrainian Athletic Federation, said track and field athletes from Ukraine should compete after World Athletics banned competitors from Russia and Belarus from its events but stressed the importance of putting pressure on sponsors.

"We announced to them that if you do not leave the Russian market, we will terminate your contracts," added Pronin.