IOC announces immediate ban on Russian Olympic Committee.
MUMBAI, Oct 12 (Reuters) – The Russian Olympic Committee was banned with immediate effect on Thursday for recognizing regional organizations from four territories annexed from Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee said.
The IOC added the ROC would not be eligible for any funding after it recognized earlier this month Olympic Councils from the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia but that it would not affect any Russian athletes competing as neutrals.
“The unilateral decision taken by the Russian Olympic Committee on 5 October 2023 to include, as its members, the regional sports organizations 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,” the IOC said in a statement.
“… it violates the territorial integrity of the NOC of Ukraine, as recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in accordance with the Olympic Charter.”
The IOC executive board is meeting in Mumbai ahead of the IOC session on Oct. 15-17.
Thursday’s ruling does not affect any decision on Russian and Belarusian athletes’ participation at the Paris 2024 Olympics which the IOC will take at a later date.
“The suspension of the ROC does not affect the participation of independent athletes,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams told a press conference.
While Ukraine welcomed the move, the Russian Olympic Committee called it counter-productive.
“This is an important decision,” Andriy Yermak, Head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, said on the Telegram messaging app.
“We communicate with our partners that sports cannot be out of politics when a terrorist country commits genocide of Ukraine and uses athletes as propaganda.”
The ROC said it was a politically motivated decision.
“Today the IOC made another counterproductive decision with obvious political motivations,” the ROC said in a statement.
“This secures de jure what was done de facto back in February 2022,” it added, referring to the ban on Russian athletes issued by most international sports federations in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The IOC had not sanctioned the Russian or Belarusian Olympic Committee or Russian IOC members since Moscow’s 2022 invasion but did ban athletes from those countries in the first few months after what Moscow calls a ‘special military operation’.
In March, however, the IOC issued a first set of recommendations for international sports federations to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to return, competing as individual athletes with no flag, emblem or anthem.
The IOC has said athletes should not be punished for actions of governments.
Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly and Karolos Grohmann; Additional reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber and Yuliia Dysa in Gdansk; Writing by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris
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How does the ban on the Russian Olympic Committee affect Russian athletes participating in international competitions?
Title: Russian Olympic Committee Banned by IOC for Recognizing Annexed Territories
Introduction:
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on October 12, 2023, that it has banned the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) with immediate effect. The ban comes as a result of the ROC’s recognition of regional organizations from four territories annexed from Ukraine. While the ban will prohibit the ROC from receiving any funding, it will not affect Russian athletes competing as neutrals. This decision by the ROC has been deemed a breach of the Olympic Charter and a violation of the territorial integrity of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine.
Background:
The IOC executive board meeting, held in Mumbai ahead of the upcoming IOC session on October 15-17, discussed the matter extensively. The ruling, however, will not impact any decisions concerning the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics, which will be determined at a later date.
IOC’s Statement and Response:
In its official statement, the IOC expressed disappointment with the ROC’s unilateral decision to include regional sports organizations under the authority of the NOC of Ukraine. The IOC emphasized that this move violated the territorial integrity of the NOC of Ukraine, as recognized by the IOC. The committee described the ROC’s decision as a breach of the Olympic Charter.
Ukraine’s Reaction:
Ukraine welcomed the IOC’s decision, with Andriy Yermak, Head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, stating that sports cannot be divorced from politics. Yermak highlighted that Ukraine is currently facing a challenging situation involving a country he referred to as a “terrorist country” committing genocide. He further claimed that such actions are part of a propaganda campaign.
ROC’s Response:
In response to the ban, the ROC condemned the decision as politically motivated. The committee stated that the IOC’s ruling mirrored what had already taken place after the ban on Russian athletes imposed by most international sports federations following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The ROC believes that the ban merely formalizes a previous de facto situation.
IOC’s Stance on Athletes and Governments:
The IOC has consistently maintained that athletes should not be penalized for the actions of their respective governments. Therefore, despite the suspension of the ROC, independent Russian athletes will still be able to participate in international competitions.
Conclusion:
The IOC’s decision to prohibit the ROC from participating in global Olympic events due to its recognition of annexed territories represents a significant escalation in the ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine. While the ban hinders the ROC’s access to funding, it is important to note that individual athletes will not be affected. As the situation continues to develop, further decisions regarding Russian and Belarusian athletes’ involvement in the Paris 2024 Olympics will be made by the IOC.
Disclaimer: This article includes information sourced from Reuters and may have been edited for conciseness and clarity.
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