MOSCOW, February 6. /TASS/. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) plans to discuss in February the possibility of bringing athletes from Russia and Belarus back to its international tournaments, the BWF’s press office announced to TASS on Monday.

"There is currently no change in our position, but the BWF Council is expected to meet in February to further discuss the considerations within the sports movement around participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus," according to the global badminton federation’s press office.

"Any change in position will be communicated following any decisions," the press office added.

In early March 2022, the Badminton World Federation suspended athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in the federation’s tournaments citing Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.

At its session on January 25, the IOC Executive Board put forward a proposal to allow individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in international sports tournaments, but only under certain conditions. Athletes from the countries in question should not be "actively supporting" Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and must compete under a neutral status.

On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.

Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.

Badminton qualifying for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris will be based on global rankings and is set to start on May 1, 2023.