- By Vishal Pushkar
- Thu, 12 Oct 2023 09:59 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has taken a decisive step by suspending the Russian Olympic Committee, effective immediately, for its involvement in actions that breached Ukraine's territorial integrity. This announcement was made by Mark Adams, the Director of Communication for the IOC, during a press conference held at the conclusion of the inaugural day of the IOC's Executive Board meeting in Mumbai.
The suspension comes as a response to the inclusion of regional sports organizations from territories annexed by Russia as members of the Russian Olympic Committee. This move by Russia was seen as a violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity, and the IOC has taken a strong stance by imposing this immediate suspension.
Notably, the suspension does not affect individual sportspersons with Russian passports, who will still be allowed to participate in the upcoming Paris Olympic Games. However, they will compete as neutral athletes, without representing the official Russian Olympic team.
"The unilateral decision taken by the Russian Olympic Committee on October 5, 2023 to include, as its members, the regional sports organisations which are under the authority of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine (namely Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia) constitutes a breach of the Olympic Charter because it violates the territorial integrity of the NOC of Ukraine, as recognised by the IOC in accordance with the Olympic Charter," the IOC said in its statement on Thursday.
After this decision, the Russian Olympic Committee is no longer entitled to operate as a National Olympic Committee, as defined in the Olympic Charter, and cannot receive any funding from the Olympic Movement.
Thus the Russian Olympic Committee will not receive any funding from IOC.
"As stated in the IOC's position and recommendations of 28 March 2023, which remain fully in place, the IOC reserves the right to decide about the participation of individual neutral athletes with a Russian passport in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 at the appropriate time," the IOC said in its statement.
"The IOC reserves the right to decide about the participation of individual neutral athletes with a Russian passport in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 at the appropriate time.
Meanwhile, the EB will discuss on Friday the proposal by the organising committee of the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 to take organise competitions in five additional sports including cricket.
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The other sports that have been proposed for inclusion are baseball-softball, flag football (a limited-contact version of American football), lacrosse, and squash.
The LA 2028 proposal has been reviewed by the IOC's Olympic Programme Commission, which has sent its recommendation to the IOC Executive Board. If accepted, the proposal will then be presented for approval to the IOC Session, which will be held in Mumbai from October 15 to 17.
Inputs from IANS