Both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) continue to back Aghbar's claim to the Presidency after he was re-elected at last September's Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly in Ashgabat.

Hashimy, who replaced Aghbar as President in 2014, had resigned days before the vote in the Turkmentistan capital as conflict escalated, but slammed the election of Aghbar as illegal and void.

Those present were "not legitimate" representatives of the National Federations, he claimed, adding that statutory obligations to wait 21 days after a resignation to have an election were not met.

Both sides have since claimed to be the rightful leaders, with Hashimy having threatened to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport before ultimately withdrawing his case, vowing to apply again alongside supportive Federations in the future.

A letter was sent by his allies to both the IOC and OCA on December 30 claiming that a Commission set-up by the country's President Ashraf Ghani had ruled him the rightful head.

"After the research and survey of the Afghanistan Government, they have declared that Mohammad Fahim Hashimy is the lawful President and Mahmod Hanif is the secretary general," it was claimed in the letter, also sent to insidethegames.

If confirmed, this would threaten the autonomy and independence of the IOC-approved National Olympic Committee, risking the Central Asian nation being suspended from the Olympic Movement.

After carrying out enquires following his receiving of this letter, however, IOC deputy secretary general and director of National Olympic Committee Relations Pere Miró has not been able to verify that this Commission had been set up.

"No one else has communicated this and no-one else is aware of it," he told insidethegames.

"We have heard nothing on behalf of the Government."

Hashimy has not yet produced proof of either the panel or its verdict, but told insidethegames today that "they are still waiting for President's final approval of the Commissions' findings and decisions".

With the Commission supposedly consisting of people from the office of both the President and First Vice-President, as well as the High Commission of Anti-Corruption and the Attorney Generals Office, he claims it can be interpreted as a Government decision.

Hashimy, a 35-year-old businessmen who owns private television network 1TV, has also produced a letter claiming 23 Federations have signed a letter pledging support, including bodies representing basketball, cycling, handball, hockey, taekwondo and volleyball. 

Other bodies remain opposed, including the Afghanistan Football Federation headed by Karim Keramuddin.

Karim, a key ally of Aghbar and longstanding opponent of Hashimy, is also thought to be close to OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti who is also a member of the FIFA Executive Committee, so has a strong interest in building a football power-base.

Miró insisted, though, many of the same individuals who have signed the letter supporting Hashimy have also pledged their allegiance to Aghbar.

It is possible some of the signatures have been forged or, conversely, that some voters at September's meeting in Ashgabat were not who they were claiming to be.

A second dispute concerns the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee (A-NOC) bank account, which neither side now claim to have access to.

"The bank has blocked the account due to the controversy," Hashimy said.

"No one is able to control the account as of right now."

Both sides claim that, despite the row, ensuring Afghan participation at this summer's Olympic Games in Rio de Janerio remains the priority.

The situation is impeding preparations, however.

"It's a disaster and a big loss," admitted Hashimy

"It is hard to prepare when the federations are divided and we have had to downscale our preparations."

"The IOC will make sure the athletes will be there," insisted Miró.

"We will identify potential competitors and provide assistance."

Next month's South Asian Games in the Indian cities of Guwahati and Shillong has provided a latest battlefield, with Hashimy claiming the event is being used as leverage to force Federations to support Aghbar, by risking not being able to otherwise compete.