Representatives of Czech sports associations gathered for a meeting of the COC Plenum where they agreed on a "united" position against Russia and Belarus returning to the international stage.

The move comes after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled last month that competitors from the two countries should be allowed to return to the global sporting events as individual neutral athletes, provided they do not support the war in Ukraine and are not affiliated to the military.

Several Olympic sports have since adhered to the recommendations, but the IOC has yet to make a decision on whether Russian and Belarusian athletes will be able to compete at Paris 2024.

Czech Biathlon Union President Jiří Hamza, who is vice-president of the International Biathlon Union - a body which has banned Russia and Belarus from its competitions - presented the draft resolution before it was backed by the COC Plenary.

The resolution stipulates that ČOV Plenary "does not agree with any form of participation of Russia and Belarus in the qualification for the 2024 Olympics or the 2024 Olympics, during the duration of the military conflict in Ukraine".

ČOV President Jiří Kejval claimed it was an important move as the organisation looks to prevent the return of athletes from the two countries.

"It is very important for us to know that we are united," Kejval, a member of the International Olympic Committee, said in a report published by Czech newspaper iDNES.

"To know that we have the support of sports associations.

"We still need to explain exactly what and how."

Hamza added: "I take it as the country of Russia and the country of Belarus, and unfortunately, those who have a Russian or Belarusian passport cannot go there.

"It is simple.

"For me, their participation is unacceptable considering what is happening.

"I understand that collective guilt is problematic, but how do you want to differentiate?

"Who is good, who is bad, who condemns it with purpose, who condemns it without purpose?

"Who was in and out of the army?

"I think there is simply no room here to talk about the return at all."

The IOC has cited the viewpoints of two Special Rapporteurs of the United Nations Human Rights Council in defence of its stance after they advised that a blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes would be discriminatory and a violation of human rights.

Association of Summer Olympic Federations President Francesco Ricci Bitti recently revealed that competitors from the two nations will have to sign a declaration of neutrality to be able to return but will not be asked to say they are against the war in Ukraine.

Under the IOC's conditions, only those that have not publicly spoken out in support of the invasion and are not associated with Russian and Belarusian militaries or national security agencies should be considered for readmission.

The stance has angered the Ukrainian Government which has announced that athletes from the country would boycott any qualification events for Paris 2024 where Russians and Belarusians are present.

Ukraine remains under attack from Russian forces, with a wave of missile strikes this morning resulting in the death of at least 17 people.

The Czech Republic was one of the 35 countries that signed a statement in February that urged the IOC to provide greater clarity on the definition of neutrality.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský has taken to social media to praise the ČOV's decision to adopt the draft resolution.

"As long as Russia is waging a cruel and senseless war against Ukraine, it has no business in the Olympics," Lipavský wrote on Twitter.

"The Czech Olympic Committee voted for this clear opinion. It's the only right way, I've been saying it for a long time. Like it or not, sports and politics are connected.

"We don't live in a vacuum."