By Victor Kanayo
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has slammed a ban on Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) with immediate effect.
The ban according to the IOC was necessitated due to Russia’s Olympic recognition of regional organisations from four territories annexed from Ukraine.
The global Olympics governing body dropped the hint via a statement.
Part of the statement reads, “The unilateral decision taken by the Russian Olympic Committee on 5 October 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,” the IOC said in a statement.
“… it violates the territorial integrity of the NOC of Ukraine, as recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in accordance with the Olympic Charter.”
The IOC added the ROC would not be eligible for any funding after it recognised 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.
According to IOC spokesman Mark Adams, “The suspension of the ROC does not affect the participation of independent athletes.”
The IOC executive board is meeting in Mumbai ahead of the IOC session on Oct. 15-17.
Reactions
While Ukraine welcomed the move, the Russian Olympic Committee called it counter-productive and political.
