MOSCOW, February 1. /TASS/. African countries unanimously support the participation of Russian athletes in competitions held on the continent, Russian Deputy Sports Minister Alexey Morozov told journalists on Wednesday.

"The Ministry of Sports’ position is that the athlete himself should be at the forefront and an athlete should compete with the best. We will exert every effort for this," the official said. "Let’s not forget about looking at Asia. Now China is beginning to open up, I think, by March, [coronavirus-related] restrictive measures will be different from now. There will be a good schedule of competitions with Asian countries, we are working in that direction," he added.

"The Association of National Olympic Committees of Asia expects us in March," the deputy minister noted. "There is a similar statement from African countries that are unanimously suggesting participation in their competitions. We are awaiting a decision from the International Olympic Committee and international federations on eligibility," he added.

On January 26, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) invited athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in sports tournaments in Asia, as well as in the Asian Games, if guidelines from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are observed.