IOC Suspends Russian Olympic Committee For 'Breach Of Charter'

The International Olympic Council's (IOC) Executive Board on Thursday announced the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) with immediate effect for "breach of charter". The Russian athletes though will be able to take part in international competitions, including next year's Paris Olympics, as independent participants. The 141st Session of the IOC will be held here from October 15-17 and the IOC's Executive Board is meeting over two days, on October 12 and 13, to discuss the proposals it has to move forward to the Session.

The National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Russia was suspended after it decided to include regional sports organisations which are under the authority of the NOC of Ukraine.

"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 because 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 EB said during a media conference here.