The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) is seeking more than $8 million (£6.6 million/€7.6 million) from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through a lawsuit filed in Switzerland.

ROC general director Vladimir Sangleev claimed at the All-Russian Forum of Olympic Councils in Ufa it had not been paid its share of the IOC's marketing revenues for 2022 and 2023.

The IOC owes us money, it did not transfer our share under the 'TOP 10' [The Olympic Partner] marketing programme — we did not receive $3.71 million (£3.05 million/€3.53 million) on December 31 2022,

he alleged, as reported by Russian state-run news agency TASS.

And this year we had a payment of more than $5 million (£4.1 million/€4.8 million), the total debt they owe about more than $8 million.

We have now filed a lawsuit in a Swiss court to ensure the implementation of this agreement.

The IOC is based in Lausanne in Switzerland, which has joined European sanctions imposed because of the war in Ukraine which severely restrict the transfer of Swiss francs or Euros to Russian-based entities.

The ROC has avoided direct suspension by the IOC since the invasion of Ukraine last year, despite its President Stanislav Pozdnyakov encouraging athletes to support the war effort.

ROC recognised Olympic Councils of four regions illegally annexed from Ukraine last year.

Critics argue Russia and its Belarus should have remained excluded international sport while the war in Ukraine is ongoing, but the IOC earlier this year lifted its recommended outright ban and allowed athletes who do not support the conflict and are not affiliated to the military to compete as neutrals.

A majority of International Federations have implemented the IOC's updated recommendations, which it claims represent a "middle ground".

The IOC has claimed it has not taken a final decision on whether Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Russia and Belarus were invited to attend the European Olympic Committees (EOC) General Assembly, currently taking place in Istanbul, on a remote basis, but only the latter accepted.

The ROC claimed "there is no practical sense in any interaction with the EOC at the moment".

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