Russia suspended from IOC for its actions in Ukraine

The IOC's decision is effective immediately!

The International Olympic Committee has announced that it has suspended Russia after it attempted to annex parts of Ukraine currently under Russian occupation, with immediate effect!

Russia suspended from IOC for its actions in 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", reads the International Olympic Committee website.

Russia suspended from IOC for its actions in Ukraine

The consequences of a ban on the Russian Olympic Committee are far-reaching. The Russian Olympic Committee no longer has the right to function as a National Olympic Committee, as defined in the Olympic Charter, and cannot receive any funding from the Olympic Movement.

Russia suspended from IOC for its actions in Ukraine

And this isn't the first time Russia has been prevented from taking part in Olympic events. The most notable ban came ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, due to a doping scandal.

Russia suspended from IOC for its actions in Ukraine

The IOC reserves the right to decide on the participation of neutral individual athletes holding a Russian passport at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the Milan - Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the appropriate time.

Russia suspended from IOC for its actions in Ukraine

A few weeks before this important decision, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the International Olympic Committee of politicizing sport. But while this decision is devastating for Russia, it will certainly be welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who had declared that, in his opinion, no Russian flags should fly at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.