IOC Warns Against Israeli Discrimination
The IOC warns National Olympic Committees and any athletes who refuse to compete against other Olympians.
The warning comesafter comments from the president of the Algerian Olympic Committee that the country’s Olympic team may face a state policy forbidding them from competing against Israeli athletes at the Games.
IOC spokeswoman Emanuelle Moreau, responding to a hypothetical situation, says any athletes"should stay at home" if athletes might face such a conflict.
"There can be no discrimination for any reason between participants at the Olympic Games," she says.
"Refusing to participate in an Olympic event because of a fellow athlete/team's religion or nationality, would not only be unsporting behavior but a serious breach of the IOC's Code of Ethics, the principles of the Olympic Charter and the Athletes Oath.
"If an athlete/team is unable to come to the Games in spirit of friendship and fair play, then they should stay at home," Moreau said in a statement to Around the Rings.
The question about Algerians competing against Israelis emerged in the past week when Algerian kayaker Nasreddine Baghdadi quit paddling in a heat against an Israeli at a world cup event.
Algerian NOC President Rachid Hanifi said all Algerians might refuse to compete against Israelis in London.
"There is an obligation to ask our government if we have to meet Israel in sport," Hanifi was quoted by The Times of London earlier this week.
"I think that is logical. It is not only a sports decision, it is a political decision.
"Our athletes represent the whole country, not just our Olympic committee. I hope we will not have this problem."
Athletes from Iran have come under scrutiny for failing to appear for competition against Israelis at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.
New Olympic Solidarity President
The organization that doles out hundreds of millions in dollars to the world’s NOCs has a new president.
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah of Kuwait was confirmed as the new president of Olympic Solidarity at the meeting of the IOC Executive Board two weeks ago in Quebec.
His appointment was not announced during the EB meeting and only became public today in a press release from Ahmad’s office.
The leadership of Olympic Solidarity has been open since March when Mario Vazquez Rana resigned.
Olympic Solidarity is one of 23 IOC commissions but none of the others have the cache of dispensing cash to the world’s NOCs. OS distributes nearly $300 million every four years to the NOCs, money raised by the IOC through sponsorships and the sale of broadcast rights to the Games.
"Amicable" Solution for Ecuador
The Association of National Olympic Committees reports the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee’s autonomy was restored "amicably".
At the ANOC General Assembly in Moscow last April, the country’s representative informed delegates that on April 12, the sports ministry refused to recognize elections in Ecuadorean sports federations, and appointed administrators to run them and called for new elections.
"In order to resolve this situation, the IOC organised a meeting with the Sports Minister and the NOC in Lausanne on 10 May 2012," the ANOC statement said.
"This meeting was extremely constructive and led to an agreement in principle between all the parties, respecting both the fundamental principles of the Olympic Movement and the country’s legislation. This agreement has since been formalised and signed by all the parties concerned."
North Korea London Team
North Korea will send 49 Olympians to the London Olympics.
The official Korean Central News Agency made the announcement Friday.
The 35 women and 14 men who qualified for the Olympics will compete in 11 sports, including marathon, table tennis, weightlifting, wrestling and football.
According to the report, North Korea is most confident about medaling in women’s football, weightlifting and wrestling.
The North Korean women’s football team will square off against the U.S. women’s Olympic team on July 31.
Written by Ed Hula III.
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