According to Russian state news agency TASS, Matytsin made the offer during a meeting with his counterparts from the Economic Community of West African States in Senegal. 

Sport ministers from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo and Ghana were in attendance. 

Senegalese Minister of Sports Mahtarr Bah welcomed the delegates. 

During the meeting, Matytsin claimed the Russian Sports Ministry was currently preparing to inoculate national teams with the Sputnik V vaccine, the rollout of which began in October. 

Matytsin reportedly said the Russian vaccine could be supplied to African athletes if there was adequate interest. 

The development of COVID-19 vaccines has boosted hopes of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games taking place this year against the backdrop of the pandemic.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has repeatedly said it will not jump the queue ahead of those who need a vaccination most and has insisted it will not be mandatory for athletes to compete at the Games.

Playbooks released by the IOC and the International Paralympic Committee for stakeholders such as athletes have reiterated vaccines will not be mandatory for participants to attend Tokyo 2020, with measures such as frequent testing, masks and social distancing set to be in place instead.

Countries such as Hungary, Serbia and Israel are already in the process of vaccinating its Olympic and Paralympic delegation, however. 

Other National Olympic Committees, including those in Germany, Canada, Britain and Italy, who have decided not to ask for their athletes to be given priority for vaccinations, will hope that vaccines will be available ahead of the Games.