NSF president Cato Bratbakk told Reuters: “Our position is clear. We will not host any championships as long as Russian and Belarusian senior and junior competitors have full access, entry rights, and are permitted to use their flags and national anthems.

“We are scheduled to meet with Nordic colleagues next week, where we hope our position will create momentum against the decision made by World Aquatics.”

Norway has never hosted the World Aquatics Championships and last co-hosted the European Aquatics Championships in 1985.

The move by World Aquatics followed that of the International Paralympic Committee, which admitted Russian and Belarusian athletes under their national flag at the recent Games in Milan-Cortina.