IOC President Thomas Bach said Wednesday that North Korea will not be able to participate in the Beijing Winter Olympics after failing to send a team to the Tokyo Olympics because it will be suspended from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) until the end of 2022. Told to.
“The National Olympic Committee (PRK NOC) of the Democratic People s Republic of Korea has been suspended until the end of 2022 as a result of a unilateral decision not to participate. [in Tokyo]”Bach said at a press conference.
Mr Bach said the decision meant that the North Korean Olympic Commission would not receive financial support during the suspension and would completely lose the support previously withheld due to sanctions.
However, the IOC’s chief said the IOC reserves the right to make decisions on individual North Korean athletes in Beijing in 2022 and review the country’s suspension period.
North Korea was the only country that did not send players to Tokyo, and the IOC said it was warned of the consequences of not participating.
“Throughout the process, the PRK NOC will be given the opportunity to hear and give a very clear warning about the consequences of its position and the fact that any violation of the Olympic Charter will ultimately expose the PRK NOC to the measures and sanctions provided. I received it in the Olympic Charter, “the IOC Executive Board said in a statement.
The IOC has held long talks with North Korea and provided solutions, including vaccines, but said these measures were “systematically rejected” by the national Olympic Committee.
Simon Evans
