It means fighters from the two countries will be in line to appear at this year's World Championships in Baku next month.

The decision follows an extraordinary meeting of the World Taekwondo Council which was convened to discuss the recommendations on Russian and Belarusian involvement made by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board last week.

Lausanne's power-makers said that individual Russian and Belarusian athletes should be allowed to return to competition, if they are not openly in support of the invasion of Ukraine or affiliated to the military.

They had previously called for a complete ban on both countries when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his war in February 2022.

Any Russians or Belarusians competing must do so neutrally with flags, national anthems and symbols remaining banned.

"The Council reaffirmed its calls for peace and its solidarity with the Olympic community in Ukraine," a World Taekwondo statement said. 

"World Taekwondo will continue to support Ukrainian athletes in ensuring they can participate in taekwondo events.

"Following deliberation, the Council decided to allow the participation of individual neutral athletes and support personnel with Russian and Belarusian passport holders at the World Taekwondo-promoted Championships, starting from the Baku 2023 World Taekwondo Championships at the end of May.

"A decision on the participation of individual neutral athletes and support personnel with Russian and Belarusian passports in other events not promoted by World Taekwondo will be made after the Baku 2023 World Taekwondo Championships."

World Taekwondo said a Review Committee and verification process would ensure the "strict neutrality" of any Russians or Belarusians competing.

A three-step process will first involve verification by the member national association and continental union, followed by individual-led confirmation by the athlete or support personnel.

The final step will be assessment and approval by the Review Committee.

"The participation of any individual neutral athletes in World Taekwondo promoted competitions will be held under the clear principles and guidelines established by the IOC Executive Board," the governing body added.

The 2023 World Taekwondo Championships in Baku are due to take place between May 29 and June 6 in Azerbaijan's capital.

At the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021, the "neutral" Russian Olympic Committee team topped the taekwondo medal table with two golds, a silver and a bronze.

Maksim Khramtsov and Vladislav Larin both topped podiums in the Japanese capital.

National team head coach Vadim Ivanov told Russia's state news agency TASS that the squad does not have anyone affiliated to the military or law enforcement agencies.

"Among the Olympians who won medals, no-one has a contract with the armed forces," he said.