IOC puts international events on hold in India

Vinayak Padmadeo
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 22

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has revoked two quota places in the men’s 25m Rapid Fire competition due to the non-issuance of visas to three-member Pakistan delegation that was to participate in the ISSF World Cup.

More importantly, the IOC has also asked all its affiliated international federations to “not award or hold sports events in India” till the time Government of India gives written assurances that ensure entry to all the participants in competition in compliance with the Olympic Charter. The decision came as a relief to many of the athletes and to the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), the hosts, as the ISSF president Vladimir Lisin had announced that all the 16 Olympic quotas on offer were revoked because of the issue. “This situation goes against the fundamental principles of the Olympic Charter, in particular the principles of non-discrimination as well as the IOC’s and the Olympic movement’s position, reiterated on many occasions over the past few years, that equal treatment must be guaranteed for all participating athletes and sporting delegations at international sports events, without any form of discrimination or political interference from the host country,” the IOC statement said. Muhammad Khalil Akhtar and Ghulam Mustafa Bashir and a team official were denied visas by India in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack. 

“As a result, the IOC executive board also decided to suspend all discussions with the Indian NOC and the government regarding the potential applications for hosting future sports and Olympic-related events in India, until clear written guarantees are obtained from the Indian government to ensure the entry of all participants in such events in full compliance with the rules of the Olympic Charter — and to recommend that the international federations neither award to nor hold sports events in India until the above-mentioned guarantees are obtained,” it read. 

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Olympic Association supported IOC for removing two Olympics quota places from the World Cup.