Stanislav Pozdnyakov, head of the OAR delegation at Pyeongchang 2018, claimed athletes had informed him of incidences where they had been goaded on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.

The presence of a "neutral" team comprised of Russian competitors who had met eligibility criteria outlined by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has not been universally popular, particularly among their fellow athletes.

The IOC have been criticised for opening the door for athletes to take part at Pyeongchang 2018, despite the country's doping scandal.

Pozdnyakov urged the competitors on the OAR squad to refrain from over-use of social media because of provocation.

He claimed there were no positive benefits of engaging with other users who may be attempting to distract them from their event.

"First of all, I would like to say that all these about-sport conversations do not bring anything good," he said.

"It does not contribute unity into the team, it does not bring anything good to our athletes who now need support. 

"Such talks play directly into the hands of our rivals. 

"We tell the guys to spend less time on social networks."

Russians are being made to compete under the OAR banner after the country's National Olympic Committee was suspended following the "systemic manipulation" of the anti-doping system at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

This suspension can be lifted before the Closing Ceremony if they are ruled to have respected the "letter and spirit" of the IOC rules.

There have been few other moments of obvious dissent so far from Russian athletes, although officials and politicians from the country are continuing to publicly criticise the conduct of the IOC.