MOSCOW, November 30. /TASS/. The Council of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) has suspended the membership of the National Badminton Federation of Russia (NBFR), the WBF press service said in a statement on Thursday.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has suspended the membership of the National Badminton Federation of Russia (NBFR)," the statement reads. The decision was made at the BWF Council meeting on 11 November 2023."

According to the statement, the decision was made after the NBFR accepted the badminton federations of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR), the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions as its members.

"NBFR was found to be in breach of BWF conditions of membership, by including within its jurisdiction territories that fall into the jurisdiction of another Member, as recognized by the international community," according to the BWR.

The world’s governing body of badminton also added that "The process allowing players with a Russian passport to participate in BWF-sanctioned tournaments as ‘independent neutral athletes’ remains in force.

"BWF will amend its procedures to allow direct registration by such players," the statement 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.

On April 20, the BWF Council ruled to extend indefinitely its suspension of Russian and Belarusian athletes from international events.

In late August this year, the BWF allowed athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in international events under a neutral status starting from February 26, 2024.

On October 12, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) until further notice after the Russian organization included the Olympic councils of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR), the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions as its members.

In late March, 2023, the IOC recommended to permit individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in international sports tournaments, but only under certain conditions. Specifically, athletes from the two countries should not be "actively supporting" Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and must compete under a neutral status. Russia and Belarus were also banned from participating in international team events.