At the end of the XI Summit of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the entity agreed to maintain sanctions against Russia and Belarus, but will take into account the offer of its Asian counterpart.

The final communiqué acknowledged that an intense debate was opened on whether, despite the sanctions, athletes could still participate in international sports competitions even without defending their flag.

Summit participants said that the fact that some governments decide which athletes may or may not participate is ‘an unacceptable interference in the autonomy of sports organizations and in their political neutrality’.

In this sense, the acting president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), the Indian Randhir Singh, declared that the reasons that justify protection measures no longer exist on that continent.

The OCA offered to facilitate the participation of athletes from both nations in competitions in Asia under its authority, while respecting the sanctions in force due to the Russia-Ukraine armed conflict.

The representatives of the international federations welcomed this initiative, and considered that each should carefully evaluate whether it is worthwhile to continue with what has been approved so far.

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