Several athletes decided not to participate prior to the event after Vladimir Putin initiated the invasion on Thursday (February 24), according to state-run news agency TASS.

The women's épée tournament was contested until the final day, leaving semi-finalists Tatyana Andryushina, Violetta Kolobova, Aizanat Murtazaeva and Vivien Kong Man Wai finishing as the top four.

Andryushina, Kolobova and Murtazaeva are all Russian while Kong is from Hong Kong.

The event initially had 101 participants.

Murtazaeva was fast-tracked to the semi-finals after her scheduled opponents Jade Cerso and Coraline Vitalis, both of France, pulled out.

Andryushina beat South Korea's Shin Hy-un en route to the last four while Kolobova beat Hungary's Anna Kun.

Murtazaeva got the better of world number three Choi In-jeong of South Korea.

The competition is the latest sporting event in Russia to be cancelled after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) told International Federations to move or terminate planned events in the country.

Following a meeting of its Executive Board, the IOC resolved that no Russian or Belarussian national flags should be displayed at any international sporting events either.

Belarus has offered its support to Vladimir Putin's military offensive, which has already seen hundreds killed.

Several sporting events have already been stripped from Russia, including the UEFA Champions League final set for Saint Petersburg, all remaining International Ski Federation World Cup legs, a Formula One Grand Prix in Sochi and a World Judo Tour Grand Slam.

The FIE President is Alisher Usmanov, as Uzbek-Russian billionaire claimed to have close links to President Putin.

insidethegames has contacted the FIE for clarification over the circumstances which led to the World Cup being abandoned.