Bach again outlined the IOC's position at the Ruhr Political Forum in the Essener Philharmonien in Essen, citing a "responsibility towards human rights and the Olympic Charter" in insisting "both do not allow such a total isolation of people with a specific passport".

Russian and Belarusian athletes have been largely frozen out of international sport since the invasion of Ukraine in February last year.

The IOC's plans to lift its recommendations in this regard in favour of a return under "strict conditions" of neutrality have proved divisive, and sparked an angry reaction in Ukraine.

Pro-Ukraine protestors gathered outside the venue to urge the IOC to ban Russia and Belarus from the Paris 2024 Olympics, holding banners including "no place for murderers" and "no Olympics for Russia and Belarus" and pictures of bombed sporting facilities.

Regional public broadcaster Westdeutscher Rundfunk reported that Bach spoke to three of the demonstrators before the event.

At the Forum, the IOC President claimed that the IOC must limit its involvement with politics.

"If politics decides who can take part in a competition then sport and athletes become tools of politics," Bach said.

"It is then impossible for sport to transfer its uniting powers.

"We must be politically neutral but not apolitical.

"We know well that politics rules the world.

"We know well that our decisions have political implications and we have to include that in our thinking.

"But we should not make the mistake to raise ourselves to referees of political disputes because we will be crushed by these political powers."

Bach added that he sympathised with Ukrainian athletes, but he could not support the view put forward by leading officials including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Sports Minister Vadym Gutzeit, who is also National Olympic Committee President.

"Ukraine wants, and this is a direct quote 'the total isolation of all Russians,'" he said.

"We are in a dilemma.

"We feel, suffer with and understand the Ukrainian people and athletes.

"On the other hand, we have, as a global organisation, a responsibility towards human rights and the Olympic Charter.

"Both do not allow such a total isolation of people with a specific passport."

The IOC's move to explore a pathway for the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes included a provision that athletes who had actively supported the war in Ukraine would not be able to compete, and Bach emphasised that position at the Forum.

"Our principles say clearly and distinctly that any active support for the war, and that includes wearing this 'Z', that includes posts and much else besides [is prohibited]," he said.

"Anyone who supports the war in this way cannot, or in relation to the International Federations, since we are issuing this only as a recommendation, should not take part in these competitions."

The IOC Executive Board is due to meet from Tuesday (March 28) to Thursday (March 30) next week, and Bach said he is "confident that we will come up with appropriate guidelines then".