Athletes from the two countries have been barred from participating in FISU events since March 2022 in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The decision has meant that there are no delegations from either Russia or Belarus competing at the FISU Summer World University Games which is currently taking place in Chengdu.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled in March this year that Russian and Belarusian athletes should be allowed to return to the global sporting stage as individual neutrals provided they do not support the war in Ukraine and are not affiliated with the military.

A FISU Executive Committee meeting was held in Chengdu but Eder told insidethegames that the participation of Russia and Belarus was not on the agenda.

"Our decision [for Chengdu 2021] was taken before the latest IOC guidelines were published," Eder told insidethegames.

"Even now we are seeing different International Federations taking different decisions [in response to the recommendations].

"Our focus is on the athletes their are here now.

"We are concentrating on Chengdu and a peaceful competition among 113 delegations and a smooth running of the Games."

As well as organising the Winter and Summer World University Games, FISU runs World Cups and World University Championships in a series of sports throughout the year.

Asked when FISU was planning to make a call on the readmission of athletes from Russia and Belarus, Eder added: "We closely follow the process of the IOC because, like other federations, we follow the recommendations.

"Some of the Championships Russia and Belarus traditionally never participate in, others maybe they would like to - so at the moment it is too early to give any comment on that.

"We are in close contact with the IOC, International Federations and as always the Russian Students Sports Union.

"I cannot give you any timeline at the moment."

Eder has been in charge of FISU on an interim basis since March 2021 when its President Oleg Matytsin agreed to step aside in accordance with doping sanctions against Russia.

Matytsin, who was re-elected as FISU President in 2019 after first assuming the role in 2015, has been Russia’s Sports Minister since January 2020.

Under sanctions imposed by the World Anti-Doping Agency following the cover-up of a state-sponsored doping programme, Russian Government officials were not permitted to hold any position at a global governing body that is a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code.

Although those sanctions, watered down by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, lifted last December, Matytsin decided to continue to delegate responsibilities to Eder.

This year's Summer World University Games had initially been due to take place in Russian city Yekaterinburg, but these plans were suspended due to the war in Ukraine, allowing Chengdu to slot in as host.

Since the announcement of the suspension in April last year, FISU has awarded the 2027 and 2029 Summer World University Games to Chungcheong and North Carolina respectively.

It means that the 2031 edition is the earliest Yekaterinburg could host but Eder said that the bidding process for that event had not yet opened.

"Yekaterinburg can host it at any time but not before 2029 and we have not yet opened the bidding for 2031 so at the moment it is not a question," said Eder.

"I don’t know the intention of the Russian state, the city of Yekaterinburg and the Russian Student Sports Union.

"I am not aware what they are planning at the moment.

"They are trying to host Russian events or some events with neighbouring countries and the International University Sports Festival which is not under the patronage of FISU."