World Sailing President Kim Anderson has asked for Ukraine and Russia to settle their dispute over racing events in the Crimean Peninsula within 12 months ©World Sailing

World Sailing has invited the Russian and Ukrainian federations to resolve their dispute over competitions being held in the disputed Crimean Peninsula over the next 12 months.

A proposal by the Sailing Federation of Ukraine (FPSU) to ban Russia as a member federation following the Russian Yachting Federation’s (RUSYF) staging of Championships in the territory annexed from Ukraine in 2014 was reportedly not considered by the World Sailing Council meeting in Sarasota, Florida at the weekend.

According to the press service of the All-Russian Sailing Federation, there were brief speeches on the issue by representatives of the parties, including the President of the FPSU Rodion Luka, Graham MacKenzie, a representative of World Sailing's Constitutional Committee, and Walter Cavalucci, a member of the World Sailing Council.

World Sailing President Kim Anderson responded by issuing a proposal for Russian and Ukrainian Federations to come to an agreement over the matter during the next 12 months.

Russian news service TASS reports that 35 out of 41 World Sailing Council members voted for this proposal.

In March 2014 Kremlin-backed forces took control of the peninsula and its residents - who are largely Russian speaking - voted in favour of re-joining the Russian Federation.

Kremlin backed forces invaded the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 sparking an international crisis that has impacted on relations between the two nations' sailing federations ©Getty Images
Kremlin backed forces invaded the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 sparking an international crisis that has impacted on relations between the two nations' sailing federations ©Getty Images

However, Ukraine and the United Nations (UN) declared the vote illegal, sparking an international diplomatic crisis.

At the time, the UN called on all states, international organisations and "specialised agencies" not to recognise Russia's annexation of the territory and to avoid any action that could be interpreted as recognition.

Since the annexation, RUSYF have held several events on the disputed peninsula including National Championships and National Cups.

Elsewhere on the agenda, the Annual General Meeting ratified the decision to feature a mixed two person keelboat offshore event at the Paris 2024 Olympic sailing competition.