IOC suspends Russian Olympic Committee over recognition of annexed territories
Posted : 12 October 2023
The International Olympic Committee's executive board has suspended the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) "with immediate effect until further notice" in response to the ROC's recognition of regional organizations from four Ukrainian territories annexed by Russia since the 2022 invasion.
This recognition was deemed a violation of the Olympic Charter as it infringed on Ukraine's territorial integrity. As a result, the ROC can no longer function as a National Olympic Committee and is ineligible for Olympic movement funding.
The regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia were the ones recognized by the ROC, leading to this suspension. The IOC is considering whether Russian athletes will be permitted to compete as neutrals at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The ROC labeled the suspension as "another counterproductive decision with obvious political motivations." Although Russia's doping suspension was lifted in March, it remains banned in athletics due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The IOC has been under pressure to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing even under a neutral flag since the invasion began, but in March, it urged sporting federations to allow athletes from these countries to participate as neutrals.
Ukraine has threatened to boycott the Paris Games if a complete ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes is not enforced. The decision has been considered significant, highlighting the intertwining of sports and politics, with Russia accused of using athletes for propaganda purposes. Sanctions mean that no international sporting events can take place in Russia or Belarus, and their national symbols cannot be used.
In related developments, Uefa abandoned its plan to reintroduce Russian Under-17 teams into next year's youth European Championships due to backlash, and the All England Club allowed Russian and Belarusian tennis players to compete at Wimbledon after a year-long ban.
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