The ban against Russian and Belarusian athletes for widespread doping has been lifted, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said on Thursday, CNN quoted him as saying.

Sebastian Coe, president of the International Association of Athletics FederationsPhoto: Gregorio Borgia/AP/Profimedia

However, athletes from those countries will still be denied access “for the foreseeable future” because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he said at a press conference on Thursday.

World Athletics is the international governing body for athletics, cross country and other sports. According to its website, it hosts several international events and competitions.

“The Council agreed to reinstate the Russian Federation (RusAF) after a seven-year suspension, and of course this was due to egregious institutional doping violations. However, athletes, officials and support staff from Russia and Belarus are still unable to compete in the near future due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” the World Federation said in a statement.

In January, the International Olympic Committee presented a multi-stage plan for the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the upcoming 2024 Summer Games in Paris and the 2026 Winter Games in Milan.

IOC President Thomas Bach defended the decision on Wednesday, urging officials to “keep politics and sport separate”. The plan would allow participants to compete as neutral athletes without representing their country of origin with a flag, anthem, uniform or other identification.