Russian Olympic Committee suspended by International Olympic Committee’s executive board
The Russian Olympic Committee has been suspended by the executive board of the International Olympic Committee, but no decision has yet been made on whether the country’s individual athletes will be allowed to compete at next summer’s Games in Paris.
Last updated: 10/12/23 3:29 p.m.
The IOC has suspended the Russian Olympic Committee for violating the Olympic Charter by incorporating sports bodies in four regions of eastern Ukraine.
The Russian Olympic Committee was suspended by the IOC on Thursday for violating the Olympic Charter by incorporating sports bodies in four regions of eastern Ukraine.
The IOC said in a statement that the ROC’s suspension was linked to its unilateral decision on October 5 to include among its members regional sports organizations under the authority of the Ukrainian Olympic Committee.
These regional organizations are located in territories annexed by the Russian army during its invasion of Ukraine.
The IOC added: “The IOC reserves the right to decide on the participation of individual neutral athletes holding Russian passports in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the Olympic Winter Games Milan Cortina 2026 at the appropriate time.”
On March 28, the IOC made recommendations that international sports federations could implement to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to competition under strict conditions of neutrality.
No decision has yet been made on whether the country’s individual athletes will be allowed to compete at next summer’s Games in Paris.
Russian Olympic Committee calls IOC suspension political
The Russian Olympic Committee has rejected the IOC’s decision to suspend him with immediate effect, calling it counterproductive and politically motivated.
“Today the IOC made another counterproductive decision, with obvious political motivations,” the Russian Olympic Committee said in a statement.
“This guarantees de jure what was done de facto in February 2022,” he adds, referring to the ban imposed on Russian athletes by most international sports federations following the invasion of Ukraine via Moscow.