Ireland's Sports Minister Thomas Byrne, left, discussed the Olympic exclusion of Russia and Belarus with international counterparts last week ©Sport Ireland

Ireland’s Sports Minister Thomas Byrne has assured sports officials in th country that a boycott of a boycott of next year's Olympic Games in Paris has not yet been considered but called upon them "not to facilitate the participation of Russian and Belarussian athletes."

 Byrne made his plea as a core funding package of €16 million (£14 million/$17 million) for Irish governing bodies was announced at Sport Ireland.

"There’s no mention of boycott, that’s to be clear," Byrne told the Irish Times as he gave details of a virtual summit of Sports Ministers hosted by the United Kingdom last week.

 The meeting discussed International Olympic Committee (IOC) proposals to readmit Russian and Belarusian athletes at Paris 2024 and heard an address from Ukraine President Volodomyr Zelenskyy.

Ireland's Thomas Byrne attended a virtual gathering of Sports Ministers from around the world addressed by Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy to discuss the potential participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus at Paris 2024 ©Twitter
Ireland's Thomas Byrne attended a virtual gathering of Sports Ministers from around the world addressed by Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy to discuss the potential participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus at Paris 2024 ©Twitter

"Our ask of governing bodies, and people who own sporting events, and without interfering with them, because at the end of the day, we’re not in favour of that, but asking them not to facilitate the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes." Byrne said.

"We had a meeting from our side with Ministers last week, and we’re working on a joint statement on that and we’re not in the space of calling it a boycott, I've never actually said that.

"We want sport to be there for everybody, there is at some point in the future, if Russia stops doing what they’re doing, and Belarus stops supporting them, there will be a place for Russia and Belarus athletes.

"At the end of the day national governing bodies, and international governing bodies have to make their own decisions, and with the Olympics, the French authorities as well."

The Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI) had backed the suspension of the two nations in March last year, describing Russian actions as a "flagrant breach of international law and a breach of the Olympic Truce."

Last month the OFI revealed that it was "engaging with all relevant stakeholders" after the IOC revealed its proposal to allow Russian and Belarus competitors to compete as neutrals.

The OFI has been contacted for further comment.

Earlier this month, Sean Kelly and Colm Markey, Fine Gael members of the European Parliament signed a declaration.

"To allow athletes from aggressor states Russia and Belarus to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games goes against our democratic values which are based on peace and respect for international law," the declaration stated.

Ireland has competed at every Olympics since 1924, with the exception of the 1936 Games in Berlin in protest at Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime.