IOC suspends Russia's Olympic Committee for breaching Ukraine's territorial integrity; to discuss cricket's inclusion in 2028 Games on Friday

Mumbai: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has suspended with immediate effect the Russian Olympic Committee for breaching Ukraine's territorial integrity by including as its members regional sports organisations from places annexed by it.

The latest suspension will not impact the participation of sportspersons with Russian passports from participating in the Paris Olympic Games as neutral athletes. It will also not impact the Belarus Olympic Association which has currently been sanctioned by the IOC for supporting Russia in its war with Ukraine.

The decision comes into effect immediately and will continue until further notice, informed Mark Adams, IOC's Director of Communication, at a press conference at the end of the inaugural day of the IOC's Executive Board in Mumbai on Thursday.

"The unilateral decision taken by the Russian Olympic Committee on October 5, 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 IOC in accordance with the Olympic Charter," the IOC said in its statement on Thursday.

After this 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.

Thus the Russian Olympic Committee will not receive any funding from IOC.

"As stated in the IOC’s position and recommendations of 28 March 2023, which remain fully in place, 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," the IOC said in its statement.

"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.

Meanwhile, the EB will discuss on Friday the proposal by the organising committee of the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 to take organise competitions in five additional sports including cricket.

The other sports that have been proposed for inclusion are baseball-softball, flag football (a limited-contact version of American football), lacrosse, and squash.

The LA 2028 proposal has been reviewed by the IOC's Olympic Programme Commission, which has sent its recommendation to the IOC Executive Board. If accepted, the proposal will then be presented for approval to the IOC Session, which will be held in Mumbai from October 15 to 17.