Ukraine's Sports Minister and NOC President Vadym Gutzeit has called international officials from climbing, modern pentathlon and shooting to maintain the ban on Russia ©NOCU

Ukraine's Sports Minister and National Olympic Committee President Vadym Gutzeit has led video calls with officials from what have been described as "uncertain" sports - to urge them to maintain the ban of athletes from Russia and Belarus.

Ukrainian officials spoke about the implementation of recommendations issued by International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board last month with representatives from the International Federation of Sport Climbing, the International Modern Pentathlon Union and the International Shooting Sport Federation.

The working meetings were specifically aimed at "heads of certain International Federations, which currently have an uncertain position or plan to consider the issue of admission to international competitions of Russian and Belarusian athletes in a neutral status".

It follows the IOC recommending that individual athletes from Russia and Belarus should be allowed to return to the global sporting stage, provided they do not support the invasion of Ukraine and are not affiliated to the military.

This rolled back a stance adopted after Russia launched its invasion in February 2022, which called for an outright ban.

The IOC has left it up to sports whether to implement the rules, with some such as aquatics, gymnastics, taekwondo, table tennis and wrestling indicating that they will work to find a way to allow the return of athletes from both countries.

Ukrainian Sports Minister and National Olympic Committee President Vadym Gutzeit has vowed to continue the campaign to maintain the sports boycott on Russia and Belarus ©Getty Images
Ukrainian Sports Minister and National Olympic Committee President Vadym Gutzeit has vowed to continue the campaign to maintain the sports boycott on Russia and Belarus ©Getty Images

Other sports such as equestrian have kept their bans in place while for many the position is unclear.

"To explain the unchanged position of Ukraine regarding the exclusion of representatives of the aggressor countries from participation in international competitions, the Ukrainian side appeals to the collected facts and public testimonies about the membership of Russian and Belarusian athletes in military formations, support for military special operations in Ukraine, as well as violations of the principles of the Olympic Charter and those determined by the IOC conditions of neutrality," the Ukraine NOC said.

Ukrainian news media has reported that 133 athletes and coaches have died as a result of the war from February 24 to the end of March 2023.

In what the Ukraine NOC has described as "effective communication with international colleagues", officials claimed that the "possible risks" caused by the re-admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes were also discussed.

The country has said it will boycott any Paris 2024 Olympic qualifiers if Russians are involved.

Any national federation which breaks this rule risks having its status and funding removed.