Georgia and Russia were in conflict during the 2008 Beijing Olympics over the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia that left hundreds dead, and the two bordering nations have had several disagreements since.

Sochi is less than 300 miles from the border of Georgia and there have been growing calls within the country for them to refuse to compete in the Winter Olympics, especially since Russian troops installed barbed-wire fencing near the border with its breakaway republics.

But Georgia's new Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said in an interview with Russian state-funded English-language news channel Russia Today that the country's athletes will compete at Sochi 2014. 

"We held discussions on this issue, whether or not Georgia should participate in the Olympics," he told Russia Today.

"The Government made a decision that Georgia will participate in the Sochi Olympics.

"This decision was made by us in cooperation with the [National] Olympic Committee, of course.

"Thus, our athletes will participate in the Sochi Olympic Games."

Georgia made their debut in the Winter Olympics at Lillehammer in 1994, three years after gaining their independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

They sent eight athletes in three sports to Vancouver 2010, earning the sympathy of the world when on the morning of the Opening Ceremony luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed in a training accident.

Georgia earned the sympathy of the world at Vancouver 2010 following the death of luger Nodar Kumaritashvili on the morning of the Opening Ceremony ©Getty Images

Garibashvili was elected last month as Georgia's Prime Minister, replacing close ally Bidzina Ivanishvili, and at the age of 31 is Europe's youngest leader.

Garibashvili, a graduate in international relations from the Sorbonne University in Paris, has pledged to push on with his predecessor's policy of seeking membership of the European Union and NATO while improving relations with Russia.

But he does not believe it is appropriate that Georgian officials are represented at Sochi 2014.

"No delegation of our Government will be present in Sochi," he told Russia Today.

"Our athletes and senior officials of the Georgian National Olympic Committee will surely be there, though."

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