Russia's official state news agency TASS reported that 17 athletes and 12 support staff have been granted permission by the FIE to participate as neutrals at events including the World Championships in Milan in July, but this did not include any of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics gold medallists.

The FIE is among the International Federations which has allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to its competitions, although in line with International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommendations this is only for individual neutrals who do not support the war in Ukraine and are not affiliated with the military.

Women's individual sabre champion Sofia Pozdniakova and silver medallist Sofya Velikaya, who both earned team gold in the Japanese capital, as well as Rio 2016 individual and team sabre gold medallist Yana Egorian had already been ruled out.

The second entry list has excluded Tokyo 2020 women's individual foil silver medallist and team champion Inna Deriglazova and her team-mates Adelina Zagidullina, Marta Martyanova and the individual bronze medallist Larisa Korobeynikova.

Women's team sabre Olympic champion Olga Nikitina and men's team foil silver medallists Anton Borodachev, Kirill Borodachev, Vladislav Mylnikov and Timur Safin have also been blocked by the FIE.

insidethegames has sought clarification from the FIE regarding the list of eligible fencers.

Russia are traditionally one of fencing's strongest nations, topping the medals table at Rio 2016 and under the Russian Olympic Committee banner at Tokyo 2020.

The decision to allow their return, which was made before the IOC lifted its recommended outright ban, has proved divisive in the sport and led to several events in Europe being cancelled.

Critics argue Russian and Belarusian athletes would be used for political purposes by both nations and there should be no place for either country in international sport while the war in Ukraine is ongoing, but opponents in both countries have claimed the conditions laid out by the IOC are "discriminatory".