IOC Announce Verdict On USA Olympics Ban After Trump Decision
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has issued a statement with a verdict on the USA's involvement in the upcoming Winter Olympics amid Donald Trump's controversial political moves.
The event is being held in Milan and Cortina, kicking off on 4 February and running until 22 February.
Team USA are expected to have a huge presence at the showpiece, with 237 athletes set to compete across 16 disciplines.
However, ahead of the tournament getting underway and its opening ceremony at the start of next month, there have been calls for the US to be banned from competing.
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The demands have come as a result of Trump engineering military action in Venezuela, with US forces capturing long-time president Nicolas Maduro.
Maduro and his wife were transported to the US after accusing his government of being involved in cocaine trafficking and narco-terrorism.
At the federal court in New York, Maduro was also charged with possession of machine guns and destructive devices.
Though defended by Trump's administration, the move courted huge controversy and many questioned whether it breached international law and sovereignty.
In fact, there were some calls for the US to be punished by being removed from the Winter Olympics. But, in a new statement, the IOC has explained why it will not be doing so despite pressure from some sections.
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"As a global organisation, the IOC has to manage a complex reality," the statement read, as per the Daily Mail.
"The IOC has to deal with the current political context and the latest developments in the world.
"The ability to bring athletes together, no matter where they come from, is fundamental to the future of values-based, truly global sport, which can give hope to the world.
"For this reason, the IOC cannot involve itself directly in political matters or conflicts between countries, as these fall outside our remit. This is the realm of politics."
Similarly the IOC did not intervene when there were calls for Israel to be banned amid the conflict in Gaza.
However, Russian athletes were banned from competing following on from the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The difference, according to information from the official Olympics website, is that Russia "attempted to incorporate regional sports organisations from occupied Ukrainian territories".
The IOC viewed that as a breach of the Olympic charter and a violation of Ukraine’s "territorial integrity," therefore resulting in suspension for the Russian Olympic Committee.
Athletes from Russia can still compete at the Winter Olympics but only as 'Individual Neutral Athletes', without the Russian flag or national anthem.
They must also show that they have no ties to the military or support the war in Ukraine in any way.
Topics: Olympics
Josh Lawless