IOC suspends Russian Olympic Committee for including organizations from occupied Ukraine

The International Olympic Committee published its statement on the official X page.

In early October, the ROC accepted into its membership the regional Olympic committees of the so-called “DPR” and “LPR”, as well as the occupied parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. In response, the head of Ukraine’s national Olympic committee, Vadym Huttsait, addressed the IOC with a condemnation of the ROC's actions and said that the issue would be discussed by the Executive Committee on October 15-17.

Even before the IOC Executive Committee meeting, the organization decided to suspend the Russian Olympic Committee. The reason for this decision was explained by the ROC's violation of the Olympic Charter in the context of Ukraine's territorial integrity.

The IOC imposed an indefinite suspension on the Russian Olympic Committee, until further notice. It also indicated the possible consequences of such a decision:

• The Russian Olympic Committee is no longer entitled to operate as a National Olympic Committee, as defined in the Olympic Charter, and cannot receive any funding from the Olympic Movement. 

• The IOC reserves the right to decide about the participation of individual neutral athletes with a Russian passport in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 at the appropriate time.

Despite receiving recommendations to return to competition, the IOC has not yet made a final decision on the future of athletes from Russia and Belarus at the Olympic Games in Paris, Suspilne.Sport reports. The issue may be considered at a meeting of the Executive Committee on October 15-17.

• On March 30, Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers decided that Ukrainian athletes would boycott tournaments featuring athletes from Russia or Belarus. 

• On July 26, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine published a new order allowing Ukrainian athletes to participate in competitions where Russians and Belarusians are competing in a neutral status.

• In August, Huttsait said that Ukraine would compete at the 2024 Olympics even if Russians and Belarusians participate in the Games in a neutral status.

• In September, IOC President Thomas Bach said that Russians and Belarusians would be able to participate in the 2024 Olympics in a neutral status, provided they have no ties to their countries' armies and do not support Russia's war against Ukraine.

• French President Emmanuel Macron said that the Russian flag has no place at the Paris Olympics while Russia commits war crimes in Ukraine.