KON launches investigation into Serbia's ban on Kosovo karateers

Kosovo's karate national stopped twice on Wednesday at the Merdare border, after the government of Serbia had made a decision not to allow their entry into Serbian territory.

In the first argument, it was said that Kosovo's team was wearing state symbols, while at their try, the Kosovo delegation wore street clothes instead of official uniforms, but that did not change the decision to the Serbian government.

The ban prompted Kosovo Olympic Committee President Besim Hasani and the International Olympic Committee (KON) to make harsh reactions. Kosovo karate players' ban comes just a week after the International Olympic Committee Board, led by Thomas Bach, said the involvement of politics in sports would have “zero tolerance” for countries that discriminate others.

Our message to the Serbian government is: They managed to stop our karate athletes from entering Serbia, but they will never stop the dream of our karateers to present their country at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. For us, this is no sport, it's politics”, said KOK President Besim Hasani of “

Pere Miro, deputy director general of the International Olympic Committee (KON) for relations with the Olympic Movement, said the KON has closely followed the event of Kosovo's karateists participating in the championship. The Kosovo Olympic Committee and the World Karate Federation (WKF) had long announced the KON for “the problematic participation of the Kosovo delegation”.

He said that to find a solution, he was mediated and talked for 10 days between the WKF and the championship organisers, mainly with Serbian government officials.

“We were informed that compliance has been reached for a solution by all parties involved. Serbia's Olympic Committee and International Olympic Committee member Nenad Lalovic were fully involved in the talks, helping to find a positive solution. The International Olympic Committee was helping to facilitate and mediate all conversations”, Miro said.

He acknowledged that the KON was surprised to hear that the bus with the Kosovo delegation was stopped at the border.

“I have opened an investigation into this issue”, he added. “The KON-I is ready to take all necessary measures not to repeat this, we are completely consistent with having zero tolerance in such situations”.

Miro added that he was told that blockades at the border for Kosovo athletes came due to “certain incidents during the letter opening process”.

This is split and looks like an independent deal. We have different visions about facts and responsibilities. We hope our investigation will clarify this point”, he added.

Miro refused to talk about any “concrete size” that the International Olympic Committee could pronounce to Serbia.

It was the president of the World Federation of wrestling, Serbian Nenad Lalovic, who had raised the problem of the discrimination of athletes in SportAccord last month.

“Laloviq was very active in finding a positive solution in Belgrade”, Miro explains.

Kosovo's anger with blockade

KOK President Besim Hasani told ATR that he has had talks with the KON and World Karate Federation chief Antonio Espinos on Wednesday, until he informed and informed the Olympic governing body of the problem at the border of the Kosovo karate delegation, which were not allowed to cross the border even after the second time.

He expressed his anger at the Serbian blockade, saying that already all Kosovars' hopes of competing in this European one have died out. “No, we have no other opportunity to participate in the 53rd European Karate Championship, due to the Serbian government's decision. None of Kosovo's karate team is allowed to enter Serbia”, he said.

Serbia's government's decision to mix in sports is contrary to the Olympic Charter, the World Karate Federation statute and human rights”, Hasani added. Our “Karateists were not travelling to Novi Sad as tourists, but they were invited by the European Federation of Karate”.

In a statement Thursday, the World Karate Federation told ATR that despite all efforts to find a solution, the situation remained unchanged, with Kosovo athletes banned from Serbia.

We have 52 of the 53 national federations confirmed in the championship, and we make sure all athletes are ready to compete. The policy of the European Federation of Karate has always been that tournaments are open to all and accepted as much as possible. We will continue to try to promote the participation of all athletes in our events”, the WKF's statement said.

Kosovo was officially recognised by the KON at the 2013 session held in Monaco, opening the door to the small Balkan country to compete in the 2015 Baku European Games, which was their first major event. Kosovo athletes then competed in LO Rio 2016.