The Paris 2024 President made the comments during the Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing, which he is attending. 

Athletes from Russia and Belarus were prohibited from competing at the event by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), after a late U-turn provoked by fears other nations would boycott the Games.

The IOC recommended on Monday (February 28) that athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus should be banned from all international sporting events, following the war in Ukraine.

The IOC claimed that normally it would not punish athletes for the decisions of a Government if they are not actively participating in them, but the war in Ukraine is an exceptional circumstance and the body has made the decision in order to "protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all participants".

Numerous International Federations have now implemented the IOC’s recommendations, leaving Russia and Belarus largely frozen out of international sport.

Estanguet told Agence France-Presse that he was supportive of the decision, which he said was made in response to "exceptional circumstances".

"Because I know this is a decision that is far from simple for the world of sport which traditionally tries to preserve athletes and keep them away from the consequences of political decisions as much as possible," Estanguet, a three-time Olympic canoeing gold medallist, said.

"The sports world, quite unanimously and collectively, wanted to react to this war.

"I think it's good, in quotes, to see this world of sport able to get out of its usual positioning a little to, in exceptional circumstances, have an exceptional decision.

"It's difficult because we know some of these athletes.

"But it is, despite everything, a courageous, strong decision that must be respected.

"Because the world of sport must also contribute to this international momentum which aims to find all the solutions to restore peace."

Estanguet reportedly said it was too soon to make a decision on the participation of Russia and Belarus at Paris 2024.

Double Olympic 400 metres hurdles champion Edwin Moses on Saturday (March 5) called for Russian athletes to be banned from Paris 2024.

Moses admitted he had opposed the Moscow 1980 boycott - which was reciprocated by the Soviet Union and other communist countries, at Los Angeles 1984 - but that he felt the ban recently imposed on Russian and Belarus athletes was justified.

IOC President Thomas Bach warned last week that there was no commitment made by the organisation to lift sanctions against Russia or Belarus if a ceasefire or peace deal is agreed.

The comment has opened the door to both nations being absent from Paris 2024.

Russia and Belarus face being absent from numerous major sporting events, should sanctions hold up against legal challenges.

FIFA and UEFA are among the organisations to ban Russian international teams and clubs from competitions.

Their decision leaves Russia likely to miss out on the chance of qualifying for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup, as well as participating at the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 in England.

The Russian Olympic Committee last week vowed to provide all possible support to its athletes and federations, including taking legal action.

The organisation claimed the decisions "grossly violate" the principles of the Olympic Movement and the IOC recommendations did not provide any legal basis.