The Russian Olympic Committee has lost 25 per cent of its staff since the country invaded Ukraine ©Getty Images

The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) has been forced to cut its staff by 25 per cent as the results of sanctions imposed following the invasion of Ukraine last year by Vladimir Putin, its President Stanislav Pozdnyakov has revealed.

The four-time Olympic fencing gold medallist, who has encouraged Russian athletes to join the war effort against Ukraine, admitted his country’s international isolation has also affected staff morale.

"Of course, the current situation of the employees is not inspiring," Pozdnyakov told Russia’s state news agency TASS.

"Still, one of the main tasks of the ROC is preparation for the Olympic Games and participation in them.

"The fact that we have not received an invitation to Paris 2024 does not add joy.

"Moreover, we were forced to significantly reduce our staff.

"The reason is simple - the volume of work directly related to international Olympic events has seriously decreased."

Russia is banned from competing under its own flag in nearly every sport and strict entry conditions apply for athletes allowed to take part under a neutral flag.

Russian Olympic Committee President Stanislav Pozdnyakov, a supporter of his country's war in Ukraine, has admitted his staff are struggling for motivation ©ROC
Russian Olympic Committee President Stanislav Pozdnyakov, a supporter of his country's war in Ukraine, has admitted his staff are struggling for motivation ©ROC

The country’s participation at next year’s Olympic Games in Paris remains unclear with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) claiming it still has to decide about whether they will be allowed to take part as neutrals.

Russia, along with main ally Belarus, and Guatemala, currently suspended by the IOC due to governance issues, were the only countries not invited to Paris 2024 at a special ceremony held on July 26 to mark one year until the start of the Games.

"We had to make personnel decisions," Pozdnyakov told TASS.

"We helped employ a number of our former employees in all-Russian sports federations, they are now working in the same building, performing the amount of work necessary for the ASF (all-Russian Sports Federations).

"These are specialists with good experience.

"The composition has been reduced by a total of quarter.

"But as soon as the Olympic Games become open to us again, we will invite them back.

"Our main task now is to ensure that specialists who have skills, knowledge and competence do not leave the industry."

In September last year, Olympic synchronised swimming champion Anastasia Davydova quit her job as secretary general at the ROC in protest at the war and fled to Dubai.