The decision was announced following a BWF Council Meeting.

The BWF suspended Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in March 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine, and said that it felt it was not the time to change its stance, despite the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommending last month that Russians and Belarusians could return to international events as neutrals, providing they did not support the war or were not affiliated to the military.

"The decision last March to support the unified approach of the sports movement to not allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in international competitions due to fears over participants’ safety is a position still largely enforced by many federations," the BWF said in a statement.

"Given the conflict between Ukraine and Russia and Belarus is ongoing, and recent precedence of Governments interfering and blocking athletes’ participation in sporting events as a vehicle to sanction instead of allowing sport to build bridges and promote solidarity between all people, we feel that such fears for safety have not been exacerbated.

"BWF acknowledges that sport should foster peace and solidarity between all people, and that sport should not become a political vehicle for influence in geo-politics.

"In that sense, the guiding principle is that athletes should always be allowed to participate in sport competitions without judgement of their passport and separate of any geo-political conflict outside the control of the sports movement.

"We recognise the recently proposed framework of the IOC to which athletes from Russia and Belarus could potentially resume participation if International Federations decide such inclusion, and we are also aware that in some sports, peaceful and safe participation has been possible.

"However, in sight of risks to players and events that could arise by re-opening participation, plus steps to seek more clarity on IOC’s complex criteria for allowing participation, and any such repercussions this may have, including conditions related to Olympic qualification and potential participation in Paris 2024, BWF is not convinced there is satisfactory justification to lift the suspensions on Russian and Belarusian players and officials at this time.

"It is a regrettable scenario to be in where badminton players are not being allowed to freely participate due to geo-political conflicts and interference by Governments.

"But it is a reality BWF presently accepts as we strive to uphold our role of preserving the integrity of badminton competitions and ensuring the safety of all athletes."

The IOC has announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes are still banned from team sports.

The organisation has yet to take a decision on whether Russian and Belarusian athletes can feature at the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics either as neutrals or under their country’s own flags.

Quota places will be awarded in singles and doubles badminton events through the Paris ranking lists, as of April 30 2024.

The list is based on results achieved at competitions between May 1 2023 and April 28 2024.