The Crimean region was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, and the majority of the international community still deems it part of Ukraine.

The global governing body told insidethegames it is investigating the Taekwondo Federation of the Crimean Republic's membership of the Russian Taekwondo Union.

"In regards to the allegations against the Taekwondo Union of Russia, World Taekwondo is currently investigating the matter and will not comment further until this process is complete," it said.

The Taekwondo Federation of the Crimean Republic's President Eskender Remzievich hit back at World Taekwondo.

"In my opinion, the International Federation should be more involved in the development of its sport in the world," Remzievich told Russian state-run news agency TASS.

"At the last Olympics, Russian taekwondo athletes proved their strength to everyone.

"I can say that the investigation has been going on for more than one day. 

"What it can turn into as a result is generally unpredictable."

Last year, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine which led to its and Belarus' athletes being largely frozen out of international sport until the International Olympic Committee (IOC) lifted a recommended outright ban in March of this year.

World Taekwondo is among the International Federations which has followed the IOC's lead, allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals at its World Championships here, provided they do not support the war in Ukraine and are not affiliated to the military.

Russian Olympic champions Maksim Khramtsov and Vladislav Larin had applications to compete in Azerbaijan's capital rejected.

A total of 14 Russian and nine Belarusian athletes were accepted as neutrals provided they sign a declaration committing to fully respecting the conditions of participation.

Wuhan 2019 Military Games gold medallist Rafael Kamalov was among those who received clearance through what World Taekwondo has described as a three-step verification process.

In 2018, Kamalov was voted athlete of the year by the International Military Sports Council (CISM) after winning the gold medal at the World Military Taekwondo Championship in Rio de Janeiro.

In its citation, the CISM said, "Sergeant Rafael Kamalov, recently promoted, embodies the CISM ideals and morals of fair play and discipline. 

"As a soldier, he is completely dedicated and obedient to orders of his superiors and takes his responsibilities as a soldier with pride."

It claimed it was confident Kamalov and other individual neutral athletes approved are no longer affiliated to the military, but would consider any evidence to the contrary.

"The Review Committee was assured that no athletes were actively engaged in the military and those who had held positions have since been discharged," World Taekwondo told insidethegames.

"Should new evidence be presented the Committee would reassess its decision at any time before the Championships.

"All provisionally approved athletes will be required to sign a declaration on site in Baku in order to be eligible to compete and their applications will be reassessed if new evidence comes to light."

An increasing number of sports have followed the IOC's updated recommendations on Russia and Belarus, but others including athletics and badminton have refused to ease their stances.

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 continuing.

Officials in Russia and Belarus, meanwhile, have expressed opposition to the conditions required for their athletes to compete.

Ukraine's Government has been angered by its stance and vowed to boycott any Olympics qualifying competitions for Paris 2024 where Russian and Belarusian athletes are present.

The World Taekwondo Championships is among the events it has decided to miss, a decision World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue has claimed he is "extremely saddened" by.

Choue has defended World Taekwondo's stance on Russia and Belarus at the World Championships, insisting "we are supporting all the athletes who are practising taekwondo".