Youth and sports minister Ahmad Faizal Azumu, who did not name the coaches, said both may be affected by entry restrictions imposed by the UK government on Russian citizens following the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“The management of the Malaysian contingent has fulfilled all the registration processes as stipulated by the organisers and even submitted a letter of appeal to the president of the CGF (Commonwealth Games Federation) to help speed up the approval of their visas.

“However, the response received from the CGF was that they are still waiting for the UK Visa and Immigration’s decision,” he told reporters here yesterday.

He said that if the Russian coaches were barred from the games, the honorary secretary of the Malaysian Gymnastics Federation, Afrita Ariany Nasril, and coach Lim Win Chean would be flown to Birmingham tomorrow to manage the national gymnastics team.

The gymnastics squad consisting of Koi Sie Yan, Ng Joe Ee and Izzah Amzan is also scheduled to arrive tomorrow from Minsk, Belarus, after undergoing intensive training there.

The games begin tonight (UK time) but the gymnastics squad will only see action on Aug 4 at the Birmingham Arena.

Malaysia is represented by 104 athletes at the Birmingham games.