Archery-Russian and Belarusian archers to be allowed to return as neutrals

FILE PHOTO: Volunteers take down the archery arrow target posters and cover up the target boards as the Olympic archery draws to a close after nine days of games at Yumenoshima Archery Field, during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, July 31, 2021. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

(Reuters) - Russian and Belarusian archers will be allowed to compete in individual international competitions as neutrals this year, the sport's global federation said on Friday.

The World Archery Federation (WA) first banned Russian and Belarusian competitors in March last year after Russia invaded Ukraine, initially using its ally Belarus as a staging ground in what Russia called a "special military operation".