Russian Olympic Committee and National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus officials met in Minsk ©ROC

Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) President Stanislav Pozdnyakov has claimed that the efforts of his organisation and the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus (NOCRB) have been nullified by the exclusion of their athletes from the global stage but said they would work to continue to develop elite sport.

The ROC and NOCRB reportedly held talks in Belarusian capital Minsk on Friday (March 25) in a bid to strengthen cooperation between the two National Olympic Committees while Russia and Belarus remain largely frozen out of international sport.

The negotiations come as a growing number of sporting organisations impose sanctions against Russia and Belarus in response to the war on Ukraine.

Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from competing by numerous International Federations, following recommendations set out by the International Olympic Committee.

Pozdnyakov said the measures have impacted on ROC and NOCRB but stressed the need for the two organisations to create environments for elite sport to prosper in their countries.

He also insisted that athletes from both nations needed to be prepared to "immediately join" international competition.

"Athletes from Russia and Belarus found themselves in a very difficult situation, no doubt, the politicisation of sports crosses out all the great work that our National Olympic Committees and Government structures of our countries are doing," said Pozdnyakov, per Russia’s official state news agency TASS.

"And, of course, in this difficult time, one of our tasks is to correctly place emphasis on our work.

National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus President Viktor Lukashenko, left, and Russian Olympic Committee counterpart Stanislav Pozdnyakov discussed how their athletes have largely been banned from international sport ©ROC
National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus President Viktor Lukashenko, left, and Russian Olympic Committee counterpart Stanislav Pozdnyakov discussed how their athletes have largely been banned from international sport ©ROC

"The care of present and future Olympians is our main priority, because our sports organisations and schools are guided by the sport of the highest achievements, entire branches of the sports industry work for them, and our states also pay close attention to them.

"Now our Olympic Committees need to continue to create all the conditions for elite sport to continue to develop.

"We are confident that the foreign policy situation is normalising, this will also contribute to the restoration of respect for the Olympic Charter, which clearly states the importance of observing political neutrality by all representatives of the Olympic Movement.

"And at this moment, our athletes should be ready to immediately join the system of international sports as full participants."

Speaking earlier this month, Pozdnyakov stressed that "attempts to politicise sports will fail" and "common sense" would prevail as he looked to prepare Russian athletes for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

"We are not changing anything in our preparation, the next Olympic Games will be held in 2024," Pozdnyakov told Russian media.

"We believe and are confident that attempts to politicise sports will fail.

"And now we see that common sense is awakening in some heads, therefore we are sure that sport, in accordance with the Olympic Charter, will be out of politics."