It is set to be the first time a Russian team plays in a major event since the nation's flag, name and anthem were banned after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld sanctions imposed on Russia by the World Anti-Doping Agency - although the CAS did halve the period the sanctions will be in place for from four years to two.

The IHF said that it had worked alongside the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) to ensure that the CAS decision was adhered to - and this could provide a blueprint for how Russian athletes compete at international events moving forward, including the Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Olympic Games.

The Handball Federation of Russia's logo, sans text, will be used for the team's flag, while the acronym "RHF" will be used, as opposed to the IOC-standard "RUS".

Per the IHF, any "national symbol, flag or abbreviation must be replaced by the logo of the Handball Federation of Russia without text" or covered up.

"The use of the term 'Russia' should be avoided, as otherwise the term 'Neutral Athlete' must be affixed to each piece of clothing/uniform in the same size and manner as the term 'Russia'" the IHF added.

Critics of the CAS decision have complained that country's name has not truly been banned if the word "Russia" can still appear on uniforms.

The question of what will replace Russia's national anthem remains, however, with the IHF deferring to the IOC, which it says is still liaising with the ROC.

"In case no consistent approach is found until the beginning of the 2021 Men’s World Championship, the IHF anthem will be played", said handball's global governing body.

ROC President Stanislav Pozdnyakov previously suggested a Russian folk song be used in place of the national anthem.

The Men's World Championship is scheduled to run from January 13 to 31 in Egypt.

Russia won the event in 1993 and 1997, but the national team has not won a medal since 1999, when the tournament was last held in Egypt.