Ukraine's National Olympic Committee President Vadym Guttsait, right, has described his Olympic gold medal-winning team-mate Stanislav Pozdnyakov, left, as his "enemy" now he leads the Russian Olympic Committee ©Getty Images

National Olympic Committee of Ukraine President Vadym Guttsait has described his Russian counterpart Stanislav Pozdnyakov as "my enemy", even though pair once competed on the same side as they won Olympic fencing gold medal together at Barcelona 1992 for the Unified Team.

Guttsait, who is also his country's Sports Minister, admitted their friendship began to deteriorate when Russia invaded Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

He has since castigated Pozdnyakov for his support of the full-scale Russian invasion, including encouraging Russian athletes to join the war against Ukraine, which is set to enter its second year next week.

"I don't want to talk to him," Guttsait said, as reported by The Associated Press.

"I don't want to know him at all.

"He is my enemy, who supports this war, who considers it an honour for athletes to take part in the war against Ukrainians, to kill Ukrainians.

"Therefore, for today and forever, this person does not exist for me."

Stanislav Pozdnyakov, right, was a friend and team-mate of Vadym Guttsait, left, during the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona but the two are now on different sides in the war since Russia invaded Ukraine ©Facebook
Stanislav Pozdnyakov, right, was a friend and team-mate of Vadym Guttsait, left, during the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona but the two are now on different sides in the war since Russia invaded Ukraine ©Facebook

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has increased tensions by announcing that it is exploring options to reinstate Russian and Belarusian athletes back to global sporting competitions after recommending a ban on the countries.

Guttsait has warned that their appearance at the Olympic Games in Paris next year could result in a boycott from the Ukrainian delegation, while he is mobilising support from other nations with the help of the country's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"This [boycott] is a very important question, it is a very serious question and difficult for every athlete, for every coach who prepares all his life to go to the Olympic Games," Guttsait said.

"But while our people are dying, women and children are being killed, our cities are being destroyed, we stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

"In my opinion, this is more important than going to the competition.

"But we need to make this political decision together with our Olympic family."

Vadym Guttsait has cited Germany and Japan's exclusion from London 1948 when arguing for a ban on Russia and Belarus from Paris 2024 ©Getty Images
Vadym Guttsait has cited Germany and Japan's exclusion from London 1948 when arguing for a ban on Russia and Belarus from Paris 2024 ©Getty Images

IOC President Thomas Bach has defended the organisation's stance by arguing that the Olympic movement has a "unifying mission of bringing people together".

He cites Pyeongchang 2018 when North and South Korea put out a joint women's ice hockey team.

Guttsait has opposed that, pointing to previous Olympic Games where certain countries were excluded.

Germany and Japan were not invited to London 1948 following their role in the Second World War while South Africa was rejected from the Olympic Movement from 1964 to 1988 because of its apartheid laws.

The Minister feels support among Russian athletes for the invasion makes their presence at Paris 2024 unthinkable while Ukraine's try to ready themselves for the Games amid the war.

"I really want all people to understand how we prepare, how our athletes live, that our athletes train while cruise missiles are flying, bombs are flying," he said.

"The Olympic Games are great, they unite the whole world, but not those athletes who support this war and this aggression."