Several sports have started to lift the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes competing on the international stage since the IOC recommended last month that they should be allowed to participate as long as they adhere to strict conditions of neutrality.

The easing of restrictions has resulted in a backlash in Europe, with Ukrainian Government announcing that athletes from the country will boycott qualifying events for next year’s Olympics in Paris where there are Russians and Belarusians competing.

There have also been suggestions in Germany that the country’s Government could deny athletes from Russia and Belarus visas if they are permitted to compete internationally.

Poland already bans the entry of Russian citizens into the country. 

IOC President Thomas Bach last month slammed Governments who have criticised its stance on Russia and Belarus as "deplorable".

Pozdnyakov, currently in Belarusian capital Minsk for an Athletes' Forum, insisted that the IOC needed to do more to ensure the autonomy of sport.

"We regard this as a gross violation of the Olympic Charter and demand that the IOC react more harshly to such statements by the Governments of some Western countries," said Pozdnyakov in a report by Russia’s official state news agency TASS.

"There is an open gross interference in the autonomy of sports, which should be protected by the International Olympic Committee.

"And we hope for the sharpest reaction of the IOC on this question."

The International Modern Pentathlon Union is the latest worldwide governing body to readmission of Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals.

Other sports such as archery, fencing, skateboarding, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon and wrestling have opted to allow athletes from the two countries to return.

But Pozdnyakov is growing frustration over the wait for Russian athletes to appear in global sporting events again with some sports setting up panels to assess neutrality.

"Nothing happened in a month, none of the international sports federations could say anything clearly," he said.

"Even those sports federations that made a decision even before the IOC Executive Committee, for example, the [International] Fencing Federation, have no position.

"Deadlock not only our relationship, but also between National and International Federations."

Under the IOC’s conditions, Russian and Belarusian competitors would be allowed to participate as individual neutral athletes, provided they do not support the invasion of Ukraine and not affiliated to the military.

Pozdnyakov, who last year encouraged Russian athletes to fight in the war against Ukraine, claimed the IOC’s were "too strict" and "rather complicated".

"I called this situation a farce [last month]," said Pozdnyakov.

"Discrimination on the basis of nationality has been supplemented by discrimination based on the type of activity, membership in sports organisations by sports.

"Today, those unfair and legally insignificant conditions that are not spelled out in any of the sections of the Olympic Charter are arbitrariness on the part of the IOC and we will seek to change these conditions."

Pozdnyakov revealed that the ROC Executive Committee would also look to develop its own recommendations for National Federations in Russia.

"We will study this situation, we are in contact with athletes," added Pozdnyakov.

"Their opinion is important to us and at the end of May, the ROC Executive Committee will meet and develop its own recommendations from all-Russian sports federations regarding illegal and insignificant actions of the IOC."

insidethegames has contacted the IOC for comment.