Sherstnev was unanimously elected after Bazanov, who had taken over the position in 2019, opted to withdraw the day before the election.

The new President has competed in bench press and kettlebell lifting competitions for Belarus.

In his political career, Sherstnev was chair of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee from 2014 to 2021, and most recently worked as head of investment at the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.

Belarus have never qualified for a major football competition since gaining independence in 1991, and Sherstnev vowed to deliver results for the ABFF.

"Thank you for the trust, but there is no time for celebration," he said.

"There is no time to rest.

"Everyone is tired of waiting for results.

"We need to act."

FC Minsk chairman Andrey Vasilevich was elected as ABFF first vice-chair, with Vladimir Bazanov and Mikhail Botnikov also becoming deputy chairs to Sherstnev.

National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus President Viktor Lukashenko, son of the country's authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko and whose election is not recognised by the International Olympic Committee, was in attendance at the elections along with observers from UEFA and FIFA.

Football has taken an unusual stance of distinguishing between Russia and Belarus in its response to the war in Ukraine.

While Russia have been blocked from participating in FIFA and UEFA competitions, its biggest ally in the war Belarus has been allowed to continue playing with home matches at neutral grounds and behind closed doors.

That stance came under further pressure earlier this month, when more than 100 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) urged UEFA to expel Belarus from qualification for the 2024 men's European Championship in Germany, claiming the team would be used as propaganda by the country's authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko.

UEFA has confirmed that the issue will be discussed at the Executive Committee meeting on April 4 prior to the Congress in the Portuguese capital Lisbon.

A suspension of Belarusian teams is reportedly set to be discussed.

According to German public broadcaster ARD's Sportschau, a letter from UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, the Slovenian official set to be re-elected unopposed next month, addressed to MEP and former Polish international footballer Tomasz Frankowski insisted the governing body "is closely monitoring the worrying developments you mentioned in your letter".

"Decisions to be taken in this regard fall under the sole competence of the UEFA Executive Committee," Čeferin affirmed, as reported by Sportschau.

The 19-member Executive Committee includes Russian official Alexander Dyukov, chief executive of Gazprom Neft, a subsidiary of majority state-owned gas giant Gazprom.

Russian and Belarusian officials have not been required to step down from their elected roles at UEFA since the invasion of Ukraine.

Relations appear favourable between the European Parliament and UEFA given the legislative body's opposition to the highly controversial European Super League breakaway club competition.

Belarus' Euro 2024 qualification campaign is due to start against Switzerland today in a match set to be played at the Karađorđe Stadium in the Serbian city of Novi Sad.

Romania, Israel, Kosovo and Andorra are also in Group I.

The Russian Football Union had considered transferring to the Asian Football Confederation, but that proposal was shelved and it has held initial talks with UEFA aiming to end its exclusion from European football.