The IOC has launched an investigation into Russia’s recognition of “Olympic committees” from the occupied territories of Ukraine

International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched an investigation into the recognition of regional organizations by the Russian Olympic Committee illegally annexed Ukrainian territories.

The IOC President spoke about this in an official letter Thomas Bach notified the NOC of Ukraine and its head Vadim Gutzeit. Reportedly, the relevant issue will be brought up for consideration at a meeting of the IOC Executive Committee next week in Mumbai.

Let us recall that earlier it became known that the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) included in its composition the Olympic councils of the so-called Luhansk and Donetsk people’s republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye Olympic councils. Let us note that back in 2016, the Russians included the Sevastopol and Crimean Olympic Councils in their structure.

On October 6, the Minister of Youth and Sports, as well as the President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, Vadim Gutzeit, sent a letter to the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, asking him to respond to the actions described above.

As was stated in the appeal, the inclusion of organizations from the occupied territories of Ukraine violates a number of principles of the Olympic Charter, in particular, by the work of the ROC outside the recognized borders of Russia. The NOC of Ukraine asked Bach to bring up the issue of violation of the Charter by the Russians at the next meeting of the IOC Executive Committee – which is what the addressee promised to do in response.

In the early hours of February 24, Russia launched rocket and air strikes on most Ukrainian cities and then launched a full-scale military invasion. The Russian war against Ukraine has continued for the 591st day.