Russian and Belarusian players will be able to participate in this year's Asian Games, the picture shows the Russian flag.

(Schematic, Reuters)

(Central News Agency) Despite Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the Olympic Council of Asia said today that athletes from Russia and Belarus will be able to compete in this year's Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Ukraine has called for Russian athletes to be banned from the 2024 Paris Games, but the International Olympic Committee said yesterday the IOC would further assess whether to allow Russian athletes to compete in Paris, Agence France-Presse reported.

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Russian and Belarusian athletes were barred from most Olympic events after Moscow invaded Ukraine last February.

"All athletes, regardless of nationality or passport, should be able to compete," the Olympic Council of Asia said in a statement today.

Today's statement by the Olympic Games of Asia echoes the IOC's comments yesterday that "no athlete should be banned because of the passport he holds".

The IOC pledged to stand with Ukraine, but said it was still evaluating "how" Russian and Belarusian athletes could compete in Paris 2024.

The move of the Olympic Games of Asia opened the way for Russian athletes to participate in the Paris Olympic qualifying events.

Some of the qualifying rounds for the Paris Olympics have already begun.