(ATR) The IOC has warned the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games it could sever ties after the organization rejected Kosovo’s membership.
Around the Rings has seen a letter to ICMG president Amar Addadi and secretary general Isidoros Kouvelos, dated Sept. 11. It raises serious concerns about a decision made at the Med Games general assembly in Pescara, Italy on Aug. 27 to block the small Balkan nation from joining the other ICMG's 23 member countries.
Eight months after Kosovo was officially recognized by the IOC at its Session in Monaco, ICMG members voted 38 to 32 to reject its membership.
The shock vote angered IOC and European Olympic officials. The EOC accepted Kosovo as a member earlier this year, paving the way for the country to compete at the Baku 2015 European Games, its first major international event.
In the letter, signed by Pere Miró, IOC deputy director general of relations with the Olympic Movement, the IOC expresses "great disappointment" at the vote as the Kosovo NOC prepares its athletes for its first Olympics in Rio.
The IOC questions the motivation of ICMG members to block Kosovo, saying most international federations had affiliated their respective national federations in Kosovo or were in the process of doing so.
Miró said it was "extremely surprising" that the ICMG, which is recognised by the IOC and consists of members of the Olympic family – namely IOC-recognised NOCs and IOC members – had dismissed the Balkan state’s application "which, unless we are mistaken, meets all the necessary eligibility conditions provided in the ICMG statutes".
"The IOC does not understand the rationale and the motivation behind this decision," Miró said in the letter."In addition, this goes totally against the interest of the athletes, whom it is our duty to protect, in accordance with the values and principles which govern the Olympic Movement.
"In view of this, it is our sincere hope that the ICMG can promptly re-consider its position and show full respect for the principles of the Olympic Movement, failing which the IOC will reserve its right to re-examine its relationship with the ICMG."
ATR understands that the ICMG has now responded to the IOC, saying it plans to convene an extraordinary general assembly on the sidelines of ANOC's annual congress in Washington D.C. next month "to reconsider Kosovo".
ATR approached ICMG for comment but had not received any statement at the time of publication.
Reported by Mark Bisson
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