Matytsin also accused "Governments of particular countries" of attempting to "take them [the IOC and International Federations] hostage".

Russian and Belarusian athletes have been largely frozen out of international sport since the widely-condemned invasion of Ukraine in February last year, after the IOC recommended they are excluded from competitions.

The IOC has vowed to "explore a pathway" for their return, and welcomed an offer from the Olympic Council of Asia for them to compete in its Paris 2024 qualifying events.

The proposal has sparked an angry response in Ukraine, which along with Latvia has threatened to boycott Paris 2024 if Russian and Belarusian athletes are present.

A summit of European Sports Ministers is set to gather in Britain on Friday (February 10) to discuss the issue.

However, Matytsin welcomed the latest developments, and underlined the IOC's claims that a "vast majority" of officials it has consulted back its stance.

"We are positive that the International Olympic Committee is trying to find a way out of the situation," Matytsin told insidethegames.

"We believe that Lausanne is starting to realise that major international competitions cannot be held without the participation of Russian athletes.

"Sport has always been a uniting power for athletes from all over the world, and any form of discrimination against a country or an athlete is incompatible within belonging to the Olympic Movement.

"It was supported by UN (United Nations) experts.

"It is important that the IOC proposal for the admission of Russian athletes is supported by the vast majority of stakeholders of the Olympic Movement.

"Our country has always consistently upheld the principles set out in the Olympic Charter, which expressly prohibits any form of discrimination against athletes.

"Moreover, no one may be restricted from competing only because of his or her passport.

"This is a direct violation of human rights."

The IOC has cited UN resolutions and letters from its special rapporteurs in defending its stance.

The special rapporteur in the field of cultural rights Alexandra Xanthaki has faced criticism for recent social media comments, including reference to the United States-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 in defending her position.

Matytsin responded to the threat of boycotts of Paris 2024 by accusing Governments of seeking to promote division in the Olympic Movement.

"We see how Governments of particular countries are now openly interfering in the decision-making process of the IOC and International Federations, trying to take them hostage by imposing political conditions on boycotting the Olympic Games," he said.

"We are convinced that this directly contradicts the Olympic Charter and is aimed at destabilising and destroying the Olympic family. 

"History shows that previous boycotts never achieve their objectives and end up only punishing athletes violently for several generations at a time."

The IOC has warned that "a boycott is a violation of the Olympic Charter".

It has insisted that sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian states including a ban on both countries' flags and Government officials at events are "not negotiable", after criticism from Russian Olympic Committee President Stanislav Pozdnyakov.