Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko has warned that the country will defend the rights of its athletes vigorously after they were banned following the invasion of Ukraine ©ROC

Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko has claimed that countries "have wiped their feet" on the Olympic Charter in a rush to punish the country following its invasion of Ukraine.

Chernyshenko, the former President and chief executive of the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi, was the keynote speaker on the opening day of the forum, "We are together. Sport" in Moscow where leading Russian politicians, sports officials and administrators gathered to discuss the situation the country currently finds itself in.

Nearly every International Federation has now banned athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus competing in major events and stripped them of events they were due to host.

"When we see that international sport has become the most powerful means of political struggle, when all the principles and ideals on which we grew up are violated, all the rules of the Olympic Charter are violated, and by those who did not write it, we see how the humanitarian mission of sports is being destroyed right before our eyes and here it is very important that we stay together," Chernyshenko told delegates, according to Russia’s official state news agency TASS.

"Russia has a special role that will preserve these values, despite the fact that others have wiped their feet on them."

Chernyshenko has himself been personally targeted following Russia’s invasion, including being stripped of the Olympic Order he was awarded after Sochi 2014 and placed on the European Union's sanctions list.

He warned that Russia would continue to appeal against decisions to ban its athletes and would seek compensation for events taken away from it.

Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, centre, was joined by Vladimir Putin Presidential aide Igor Levitin, left, and Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin, right, at the “We are together. Sport
Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, centre, was joined by Vladimir Putin Presidential aide Igor Levitin, left, and Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin, right, at the “We are together. Sport" forum in Moscow ©ROC

"Claims are being sent to international institutions to protect our athletes, to return funds, to compensate for the losses that our country suffered as a result of the cancellation of the right received in a fair competition," Chernyshenko said.

"I would like to thank the athletes, despite the incredible pressure, you maintain your patriotic position, loyalty to the principles of justice.

"Fairness is the main request that our country has.

"Russia's position remains unshakable - there should be no discrimination based on nationality, double standards, harassment."

"We are together. Sport" was used as the slogan for Russia’s replacement event earlier this month after its athletes were banned from the Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Chernyshenko claimed it has now become a rallying call for Russian sport.

"It has become a symbol of an honest and fair fight and demonstrated the unifying power of sport to the whole world," he said.