The IOC's latest set of recommendations suggested that International Federations should allow athletes from the two countries back into global sporting competitions provided they compete as neutrals.

"The fact that Bach is friends with a mass murderer wanted with an arrest warrant [Russian President Putin] may be his personal decision, but he and the IOC are driving themselves into ruin with this attitude and are dragging us athletes all along," Harting, the Rio 2016 discus champion, told Sport Bild.

"If something like that is possible."

Harting warned his fellow German Bach that a repeat of the Munich 1972 massacre could follow as a result.

"If only to prevent similar scenes as in Munich in 1972," the 33-year-old Harting said.

"The political tensions, whether 'neutral' athletes or not, cannot be estimated.

"At this point, however, I would not rule out violent riots within the Olympic Village.

"Or to put it another way: imagine, in their homeland, people have been killed by the murderers against whom they have to compete.

"Or, under threat of violence against you and your relatives, your state requires you to seize every opportunity in which you can harm Ukraine and its athletes.

"I can't imagine having to go through this farce if I, as a Ukrainian athlete, had to compete against a Russian or Belarusian athlete."

Harting, however, is against a Germany boycott of next year's Olympic Games in Paris.

He believes it is only Russia and Belarus that should be missing out on competitions.

"In the end, it's a loss for all athletes who are deprived of the chance to go to the Olympics," Harting said.

"But I'm not talking about personal decisions against which - and I don't buy the word myself - 'neutral' athletes do not compete.

"This decision is up to all athletes themselves."