New Delhi, April 29 -- Boxers from Russia and Belarus will be allowed to compete as neutral athletes by the new governing body recently put in charge of Olympic boxing competitions.

World Boxing announced its decision Tuesday to treat Russian and Belarussian boxers as neutral athletes, emulating the approach usually taken by the International Olympic Committee since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Fighters and support personnel from Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to participate in World Boxing events with flags, uniforms or national anthems. They also must be approved in a vetting process to ensure they have not supported the war in Ukraine or have any links to the Russian army.

World Boxing was formed in 2023 as an alter...