A Presidential decree issued by the Ministry of Economy confirms the sanctions against two current IOC members Shamil Tarpishchev and Yelena Isinbayeva, and two Honorary IOC members Vitaly Smirnov and Alexander Popov.  

Under the sanctions the individuals are banned from entering Ukraine for 50 years and their financial assets in the country are blocked.

Tarpishchev is the President of the Russian Tennis Federation and has been an IOC member since 1994.

Isinbayeva is a multiple Olympic and world pole vault champion and has been an IOC member since 2016.

Smirnov is a former President of the Russian Olympic Committee, and served as an IOC member from 1971 to 2015.

In 2015 he was awarded the Olympic Order, before becoming an honorary member of the IOC in 2016.

Popov is a multiple Olympic swimming champion and served as an IOC member from 2000 to 2016, before being made an honorary member of the organisation later that year.

Explaining the sanctions Yulia Svyrydenko from the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy said, as reported by Ukrainian News: "It is quite obvious: sports and terrorism are incompatible concepts.

"That is why President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy initiated a diplomatic marathon, the purpose of which is to prevent representatives of the terrorist state from participating in the Olympic Games and other international competitions.

"In this matter, 35 countries have already supported us, and the European Parliament in its resolution emphasised that it warned the IOC against a decision that will allow the Kremlin to use the Olympic Movement for its propaganda."

Responding to the announcement of the sanctions Smirnov said, as reported by Athlestic: "I take personal sanctions calmly, like my colleagues.

"Moreover, I note: either Mr. Zelensky has started a war with the IOC, or his advisers do not know that the members of the IOC are representatives of this organisation in their country."

insidethegames has contacted the IOC for a comment.