The International Skating Union bans Russian and Belarusian ice skaters from competing in international events after the invasion of Ukraine

• The International Skating Union has banned Russian and Belarusian skaters from its events.
• The ISU said it is banning skaters from international competitions due to the invasion of Ukraine.

The International Skating Union (ISU) has banned Russian and Belarusian skaters from all its events following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The ISU made the announcement in a statement on March 1. With immediate effect and until further notice, no skaters from Russia or Belarus will be invited to or allowed to compete in international ice skating competitions, the ISU said.

"The ISU Council reiterates its solidarity with all those affected by the conflict in Ukraine and our thoughts are with the entire Ukrainian people and country," the statement read.

The ISU said it had made the decision in light of a February 28 statement from the International Olympic Committee recommending that sports federations ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from their competitions.

The ISU said it was banning the skaters "in order to protect the integrity of ice skating competitions and for the safety of all the participants of international ice skating competitions."

"The ISU Council will continue to closely monitor the situation in Ukraine and its impact on the ISU activity and will take additional steps if and when required," read the statement.

The ban on Russian skaters means that Russian superstar Kamila Valieva and her team will likely miss the World Figure Skating Championships this March. The championships are slated to be held from March 21 to 27 in Montpellier, France.

Other sports organizations have similarly backed Ukraine by banning Russian athletes from competitions. FIFA and UEFA suspended Russian teams from competing until further notice. The FIVB, volleyball's governing body, also said on March 1 that Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be allowed to join international events.

Insider's live blog of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is covering developments as they happen.