In a sweeping move to isolate and condemn Russia after invading Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee urged sports bodies on Monday to exclude the country's athletes and officials from international events.
The IOC said it was needed to "protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants."
The Olympic body's call also applied to athletes and officials from Belarus, which has abetted Russia's invasion by allowing its territory to be used to station troops and launch military attacks.
The IOC said it acted "with a heavy heart" but the impact of war on Ukrainian sports outweighed the potential damage done to athletes from Russia and Belarus.
Also read: Russia-Ukraine crisis: Russia banned from FIFA World Cup, all clubs banned from UEFA competitions