MOSCOW, July 19. /TASS/. Russian athletes will not sign any declarations to condemn the special military operation in exchange for permission to take part in competitions, Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin told the State Duma on Wednesday.

"There is a red line: No one will sign any declarations to condemn the special military operation and so on. Our athletes will not participate on such terms," Matytsin said.

The Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee recommended on March 28 that international sports federations allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete only in a neutral status. This applies only to those who have not publicly expressed support for the special military operation and are not linked to the armed forces or national security agencies, according to the recommendation. Russian and Belarusian athletes should not be represented in team sports, the committee said.