Russia and Belarus have largely been frozen out of international sport since the invasion of Ukraine in February, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommending the exclusion of their athletes and officials from competition.

The IOC has insisted this was a "protective measure", distinct from sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian Governments and states.

While sanctions including no events being held in Russia and Belarus remain in place, IOC President Thomas Bach have insisted it must "explore ways to overcome this dilemma" on the participation of athletes and criticised what he perceives to be "political interference" from Governments.

Friday's (December 9) Olympic Summit agreed to follow up an Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) proposal to enable Russian and Belarusian athletes to take part in its competitions, but Guttsait insisted "until the war in Ukraine ends, we cannot meet at international competitions with Russians and Belarusians".

"From the first day of the war, we react harshly to any attempts by Russian and Belarusian athletes to represent and promote their countries internationally," he told United News.

"We want and do our best not to have Russians and Belarusians in international competitions, so that we do not see the Russian flag, so that we don't see anyone from Russia and Belarus while the war in Ukraine continues."

On Thursday (December 8), French President Emmanuel Macron's stance was referenced by Bach in making the IOC's case.

Macron has suggested "sport should not be politicised", and that "athletes from all countries, sometimes including countries at war" should be permitted to compete at major events, including the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

The French President has recently faced criticism from Kyiv after claiming that Russia would need security guarantees as part of future negotiations to end the war, and he appears to have taken a softer stance towards Vladimir Putin than many of his Western counterparts.

Guttsait added that "we don't accept" his views on Russian and Belarusian participation in sport and the implications it would have for Paris 2024.

"There are clear rules for admission to the Olympics," he said.

"The qualifying round has already begun.

"And participants of the Olympics will be determined by the number of licenses obtained.

"Therefore, our task is to ensure Ukrainian sportsmen show the best results, prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from any competition, and with our colleagues we work on the diplomatic front.

"I constantly communicate and ask international colleagues to support such sanctions."

The Minister also disputed the argument that "sports are outside of politics", pointing to comments from Russian Olympic Committee President Stanislav Pozdnyakov in September, when he claimed Russia's athletes should be honoured to fight in the war of Ukraine if they were called up.

Pozdnyakov was in attendance at the Olympic Summit, which the IOC said "unanimously agreed" to further explore the OCA's proposal on "the participation of athletes who are in full respect of the Olympic Charter and the sanctions".

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe was invited to the Summit, but did not attend.

He has recently signalled that Russia would need to "get out of Ukraine" for its measures to be lifted.

Bach has recently reaffirmed the IOC's support for Ukrainian athletes, expressing hope for "a strong team of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026".