Russian Madina Taimazova is set to compete as a neutral in Ulaanbaatar ©Getty Images

A total of 24 Russian athletes are set to compete as neutrals at the International Judo Federation (IJF) Grand Slam in Ulaanbaatar, causing Ukraine to shun the event.

Olympic bronze medallist Madina Taimazova and European Games champion Arman Adamian are among those from Russia that are poised to participate under the IJF flag in the Mongolian capital.

Adamian is ranked world number two in the under-100 kilogram category while Taimazova is the top seed in the women’s under-70 division.

There are notably no judoka representing Ukraine in Ulaanbaatar after the Ukrainian Judo Federation declared that it would not take part in a competition in which Russian and Belarusian athletes feature.

The IJF has banned the flags of Russia and Belarus in response to the war in Ukraine but stopped short of baring athletes completely, allowing them to compete as neutrals.

The Russian Judo Federation announced in March that it would withdraw from international events because of safety concerns and travel difficulties - a move followed by the Belarusian Judo Federation.

However, athletes from Russia are set to make a controversial return to Grand Slam action with 13 male and 11 female judoka representing the IJF.

IJF President Marius Vizer has called for unity after the Ukrainian Judo Federation opted to shun events where Russian and Belarusian judoka are present ©IJF
IJF President Marius Vizer has called for unity after the Ukrainian Judo Federation opted to shun events where Russian and Belarusian judoka are present ©IJF

IJF President Marius Vizer issued an open letter last month, insisting "we cannot punish people who are not responsible for the deeds of others" and stressed that "war, politics and discrimination have no place" in sport.

He added that he was "deeply disappointed by the fact that in this conflict we are only talking about the victory of one side or the other, instead of peace", and insisted that "we must be united in good times and in bad times".

In the men’s competition, Adamian will be joined by compatriots Ayub Bliev, Albert Oguzov, Murad Chopanov, Yago Abulagze, Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov, Alan Khubetsov, David Karapetyan, Mikhail Igolnikov, Mansur Lorsanov, Armen Again, Matvey Kanikovskiy and Inal Tasoev.

The other female Russian athletes competing in Ulaanbaatar include Irina Dolgova, Sabina Gilizova, Liliia Nugaeva, Alesya Kuznetsova, Daria Kurbonmamadova, Kseniia Galitskaia, Kamila Badurova, Nadezhda Tatarchenko, Daria Vladimirova and Anna Gushchina.

They are among 255 competitors from 30 countries participating in the IJF Grand Slam featuring top-ranked Denis Vieru of Moldova, Jorge Fonseca of Potugal and Yang Yung-wei of Chinese Taipei.

Competition is due to start tomorrow and end on Sunday (June 26).