The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) has been suspended with immediate effect for <a href="https://news.ad-astra.icu/ioc-suspends-russian-olympic-committee-due-to-involvement-of-sport-organizations-in-ukraine.html” title=”IOC Suspends Russian Olympic Committee Due to Involvement of Sport Organizations in Ukraine”>recognising regional sport organisations from four territories annexed from Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said.
The IOC added on Thursday that the ROC would not be eligible for any funding after it recognised 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 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 executive board is meeting in Mumbai, India ahead of the IOC session from October 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 consider at a later date.
Source from www.aljazeera.com