The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has today sent a letter to all international federations to reiterate its position on Kosovo's participation in international competitions.
According to a public announcement, the IOC has requested that before any international sporting event is scheduled in a country, all organizers must ensure by obtaining a written guarantee from the local authorities that there will be freedom and non-discrimination.
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"This is in order to ensure equal treatment for all participating athletes and sports delegations, in accordance with the basic principles of autonomy and non-discrimination that guide the Olympic Movement," the IOC letter said.
Then it is emphasized that "if this is not possible, or there are doubts, the IOC has made it clear that any country that does not offer guarantees for these principles will exclude itself from the right to organize a sporting event." .
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The IOC has reiterated that no sports organization should request the organization of sports events without finally having all the guarantees for non-violation of these principles.
"There have been several recent examples of this matter being chosen smoothly and successfully thanks to the cooperation and common approach between the IOC, the International Federations, and the organisers/local authorities and relevant committees. The most recent example was in Spain, where the Kosovo sports delegation has encountered constant difficulties with the participation in several international sports events held there. The government of Spain has now assured that it will be committed to guarantee the participation of Kosovar athletes in sports events organized in Spain under the auspices of the IOC, as was the case of the Mediterranean Games in Tarragona. This means facilitation of visas for Kosovar participants and allowing the use of national symbols, the flag and the anthem, according to the Olympic protocol. In short, it has ensured that these athletes will participate with equal rights as others," the letter continues, where the IOC thanks the Spanish Olympic Committee for the approach and guarantee given.
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The IOC has finally said it has worked for many years with international federations to protect the rights of athletes. "This goes beyond any political consideration and includes the fairness and integrity of sports competitions in accordance with the fundamental principles that govern the Olympic Movement," the letter states further, reports Koha.net.
According to the IOC, when a national sports organization applies for an international organization it must guarantee that all athletes are free to compete and must not discriminate or allow political interference. At this point, the IOC says that if such cases are repeated where a country/territory is not recognized by the host country, appropriate measures will be taken by the organizers to ensure that the participation of these athletes will be under the same conditions as anyone else. The IOC has reiterated that the political issue is separate from sport.
