The Russian Wrestling Federation's executive committee, coaches and wrestlers "came to the unanimous decision to refuse to participate in the Olympic Games”. GETTY IMAGES

The athletes who were given permission to participate in this summer's Olympic Games have not accepted the "unsportsmanlike selection" by the IOC, the Russian Wrestling Federation said Saturday. 

After initially being barred from the Games over Moscow's military offensive on Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has moved to allow a handful of Russian athletes to take part under a neutral flag if they meet strict conditions.

But the national federation said Saturday that ten wrestlers who passed the eligibility checks would boycott the Games in protest at the IOC.

"We do not accept the unsportsmanlike selection principle that guided the International Olympic Committee when forming the list of eligible athletes, the purpose of which is to undermine the principle of unity of our team," the federation said in a statement.



The federation's executive committee, coaches and wrestlers "came to the unanimous decision to refuse to participate in the Olympic Games”. The wrestlers would have represented the largest group of Russian athletes in any sport at the Summer Olympics under the Individual Neutral Athlete program.

The Russian wrestlers listed on the site who received an invite were Nachin Mongush, Shamil Mamedov, Arslan Bagaev, Abdulla Kurbanov, Alan Ostaev, Magomed Murtazaliev, Natalya Malysheva, Veronika Chumikova, Alina Kasabieva and Elizaveta Petliakova.



Russian athletes hoping to compete in Paris must demonstrate they do not support Russia's military offensive on Ukraine and have no links to the country's armed forces. Those admitted will have to compete under a neutral banner and will be excluded from any team events and also the opening ceremony. Russian officials have repeatedly blasted the IOC policy.

The IOC had extended a total of 57 invitations to athletes from Russia and Belarus. Per the official Olympics website, a total of 30 Russian and Belarusian athletes have thus far accepted invites to the Summer Games as Individual Neutral Athletes.