Sports ministers from South Korea and 25 other countries agreed to block Russia and Belarus from hosting or competing in international sports events as part of sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Sports minister Hwang Hee and counterparts from countries including the U.S., Canada, Australia, France and Japan reached the agreement during a video conference led by British Sports and Culture Minister Nadine Dorries early Friday.

The ministers drew up a draft joint statement, with a shared view that Russia should be held accountable for its military action against Ukraine, and Belarus for supporting Russia's invasion politically and allowing Russian forces to train in the country and stage missile launches into Ukraine from its soil.

The statement calls for stripping Russia and Belarus of the right to host international sporting events, along with banning athletes representing the two countries from competing in sporting events hosted by the 26 other countries. The statement is expected to be finalized and formally adopted this weekend.

The International Olympic Committee(IOC) earlier urged international sports federations and event organizing committees to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes and delegates, as was the case with the 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympics, opening Friday.