Constitutional Court of Guatemala challenges the IOC and confirms the nullity of the current National Olympic Committee

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) could soon announce the withdrawal of its recognition of the Guatemalan Olympic Committee (COG). On Tuesday afternoon the Constitutional Court of the Central American country confirmed the temporary protection invalidating the election of the current leaders of the COG.

Sources confirmed to Around The Rings the vote of the five magistrates that make up that permanent court ended three votes to two.

For the IOC, the position of the Constitutional Court in this final stretch of the 10-month legal battle endorsed a transgression of the Olympic Charter, and thus ratified it in a letter sent to the COG two weeks ago

The IOC’s ignoring of the national Olympic body could mean its athletes cannot represent their country in the Olympic cycle competitions heading to Paris 2024. If they were allowed to compete, they would do so without the flag, the anthem and the national uniforms.

The IOC’s punishment could also mean Guatemala would have to give up organizing the Central American Games scheduled with Costa Rica beginning October 27.

An immediate reaction is expected in the next few hours from the IOC to the decision of the Constitutional Court that is presented as a court “in defense of the constitutional order.” The “Guatemala case” could be included in the agenda of the IOC Executive Commission that will meet between September 7 and 9 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

“The IOC has to act as soon as possible,” a source told ATR who warned that the COG executive committee elected in a controversial vote last October, led by former soccer player Jorge Rodas, “had not taken office in the midst of the conflict and it is not endorsed by the IOC, I would assume.”

Likewise, the executive headed by Gerardo Aguirre, who was currently acting since an election last March endorsed by the IOC and Panam Sports, would be deactivated.

On the eve of the Court’s decision on Tuesday, some sports federations had exposed their positions. The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) announced that if there was a suspension of the COG, the WBSC would evaluate the participation of athletes in both disciplines in the sanctioned events “which could be possible only under the flag of the WBSC and not of the country.”

The American Shooting Confederation (CAT) also commented that if by the start date of the Shooting Championship of the Americas (November 4-14, 2022), the Guatemala Olympic Committee is suspended, the CAT will accept the participation of the Guatemalan athletes, but only under the CAT flag.

Unfortunately, due to the fact that both the Olympic and Pan American quotas in dispute are granted to the NOCs, in the event that Guatemalan athletes obtain any of these quotas (12 Olympic quotas for Paris 2024 and 198 for the Pan American Games in Santiago 2023 ), these will be awarded to the best ranked athlete from a National Olympic Committee recognized by the IOC.