GENEVA, March 31 (Xinhua) -- The International Olympic Committee said there is "overwhelming support" from the Olympic community for its recommendations on the status of Russian and Belarusian athletes.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach speaks during an IOC executive board meeting where the issue of Russian athletes will be discussed, in Lausanne, on March 28, 2023. (Photo: AFP)

The IOC has released six recommendations to International Federations (IFs) and international sports event organizers that would allow athletes with Russian or Belarusian passports to compete as individual neutral athletes.

But a decision will be taken "at the appropriate time," IOC President Thomas Bach said after the first-day meeting of the IOC executive board on Tuesday.

In a Q+A session concerning the topic on Thursday, the IOC said its exploration "enjoys the overwhelming support of the International Federations, their umbrella body (the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF)), the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), including all the five Continental Associations (Association of NOCs of Africa, European Olympic Committees, Olympic Council of Asia, Oceania National Olympic Committees and Panam Sports) plus the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), representing all 206 National Olympic Committees."