Four-time Olympic medallist Kharlan had beaten Russian Anna Smirnova in the individual women's sabre competition at the FIE Fencing World Championships in Milan, but was later handed a black card for refusing to shake the hand of her opponent, competing as a neutral.

This would have ruled her out of the team competition at the World Championships and banned her for 60 days, but the FIE yesterday lifted the penalty while insisting it "stands fully behind the penalty".

However, the FIE's representative of the Executive Committee in the Rules Commission Bruno Gares revealed handshakes would now become optional, with a distance greeting permitted instead.

"At the end of the bout, the athletes will come back to an en garde position and will salute their opponents, the referee, and the audience with their weapons," the French official said.

"This constitutes the finish of the bout."

The handshake rule is a long-established part of fencing, although had previously been eased during the COVID-19 pandemic, so this represents a major change in the sport.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had urged International Federations to "handle situations involving Ukrainian and individual neutral athletes with the necessary degree of sensitivity", while Kharlan had called for the rule change after her disqualification.

She has claimed she received assurances from FIE Interim President Emmanuel Katsiadakis of Greece that a touch of the sabre would suffice after her match against Smirnova.

The round of 64 contest was the first meeting between fencers from the two countries since the Ukrainian Government allowed its athletes to compete in Paris 2024 Olympics qualifiers against Russian and Belarusian neutral athletes.

Smirnova launched a protest and remained on the piste for 50 minutes after losing 15-7, and Kharlan was subsequently handed a black card for refusing to shake hands.

The decision sparked an outcry, and the IOC yesterday took the unprecedented step of assuring Kharlan of a place at the Paris 2024 Olympics due to her "unique situation".

Smirnova was among the 11 athletes cleared to compete as individual neutrals at the Fencing World Championships in Milan, although a photograph has emerged of her posing with her brother in military uniform.

Women's sabre team competition is set to be held across the final two days of the World Championships today and tomorrow, with Kharlan part of the Ukrainian team.

Russian and Belarusian teams are not competing in team competitions due to the IOC recommending neutral athletes compete only in individual events provided they do not support the war in Ukraine and are not affiliated to the military.