IOC: States that disganit Kosovo's participation, not apply at all for international tours

According to a public report, the IOC has demanded that before an international sports event is set up in one state, all organisers should be secured by receiving written guarantees from local authorities that there will be freedom and not discrimination.

This is in order to ensure equal treatment for all participating athletes and sports delegations, in accordance with basic principles of autonomy and non-discrimination, which lead the Olympic Movement”, says the IOC letter.

It is then stressed that “if this is not possible, or there are doubts, the IOC has made it clear that any state that does not offer guarantees for these principles will exclude itself from the right to organize a sport event”.

The IOC has reiterated that no sports organisation should seek organisation of sporting events without finally having all guarantees of non-infectation of these principles.

“There have been several recent examples of this issue that were resolved smoothly and successfully thanks to co-operation and common approach between the IOC, the International Federation, and local authorities and relevant committees. The latest example was in Spain, where Kosovo's sports delegation has faced constant difficulties with participating in several international sports events held there. The government of Spain has now assured that it will commit to ensuring the participation of Kosovo athletes in sports events organised in Spain under the auspices of the IOC, as was the case with the Mediterranean Games in Tarragona. This means visa relief for Kosovo participants and allowing the use of national symbols, flag and anthem, according to the Olympic protocol. In short, it has assured that these athletes will participate with equal rights like others”, it is further said in this letter, where the IOC thanks Spain's Olympic Committee for its access and guarantees.

The IOC has finally said it has been working for many years with international federations to protect athletes' rights. This goes beyond any political consideration and includes the justice and integrity of sports contests in accordance with the fundamental principles governing the Olympic Movement”, further said on paper, the Koha.net broadcasts.

According to the IOC, when a national sports organisation applies for an international organisation it will have to ensure that all athletes are free to compete and should not make discrimination or allow political interference. At this point, The IOC says that if such cases are repeated when a state/territor is not recognised by the economic state, appropriate measures will be taken by organisers to ensure that those athletes' participation will be in the same conditions as anyone else's. The IOC has reiterated that the political issue is separate from sports.