(Paris) Meeting in an extraordinary session on Tuesday, the International Taekwondo Federation decided to authorize the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes under a neutral banner in the World Championships, starting with those in Baku in May, thus following the recommendations of the commission IOC Executive.

The body “will continue to support Ukrainian athletes so that they can participate in taekwondo events,” she said in a statement.

However “after deliberation”, she decided that the Russian and Belarusian fighters, as well as their coaches, would be able to participate in an individual capacity “in the World Taekwondo Championships, starting from the 2023 Baku World Taekwondo Championships, in the end of May.”

A decision on their participation in other events not organized by the Federation by World Taekwondo will be taken after these Worlds, specifies the text.

The International Fencing Federation announced in early March the reinstatement of Russian fencers, a first in international sport in more than a year.

And a week ago, the IOC recommended the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes under a neutral banner and individually, without however deciding at this stage on the possible participation of these athletes in the Paris Olympics in 2024.

The Russian Olympic Committee, however, has previously deemed these reinstatement criteria “discriminatory”.