July 13 (Reuters) - Russian athletes will be allowed to represent their country in modern pentathlon competitions from next month after the sport's governing body (UIPM) lifted restrictions on their participation on Monday.
The move follows the International Olympic Committee's decision to provisionally lift the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee last week.
The IOC banned the ROC in 2023 after the national body took over sports groups in occupied areas of Ukraine following Moscow's invasion of the country.
"Athletes and teams from Russia will have free rein to represent their country in UIPM Sports from next month, following the UIPM Executive Board’s decision to lift all restrictions against their participation," the body said in a statement.
The executive board members had met online on Wednesday and voted in favour of lifting restrictions on Russian athletes and teams, the statement added.
"The IOC has made it clear that Olympic sport is moving into a new era where athletes will no longer be punished for the actions of their governments. Our (board) followed the IOC’s guidance closely before voting in favour of the reinstatement of Russia,” said UIPM President Rob Stull.
The decision takes effect from the sport's European championships, starting in Istanbul on August 3.
Athletes from Belarus, who were also banned by the IOC over the country being used as a staging ground for the war, were allowed by the UIPM to represent their country again in the sport in May.
The modern pentathlon decision comes after the governing body of table tennis also announced on Monday that they were allowing Russian athletes to return to international competition.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)
