Journalists who use amateur-standard technology to take photos or videos of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics will be kicked out immediately, the editor of Russia's state sports news agency, which is part of the Olympic accreditation committee, has reportedly said.

Vasily Konov, editor of RIA Novosti subsidiary R-Sport, told a seminar for sports journalists on Friday that print reporters using any sort of multimedia would be "considered a serious violation and lead to their accreditation being canceled," multiple Russian outlets reported. Only journalists with professional equipment and special badges will be allowed to do so.

[Update: International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams said otherwise in an email to USA Today's For The Win, writing, "Please take as many photos as you like!" and "Sharing pix on social media positively encouraged."]

"Organizers won't be able to have any effect on normal spectators, but supporters will be banned from bringing reflex cameras and nonprofessional equipment to the competitions," Konov added.

Konov later denied that he had made the statement and called a story from the user-generated Ridus news outlet a "monstrous lie." Radio Free Europe, however, reported him as saying the same thing.