IOC urges action to ensure athletes’ safety at the Winter Paralympics | OneFootball

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) made an appeal this Tuesday (3) to ensure “the safety of athletes” who will participate in the Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympic Games, especially those “likely to be affected by the most recent conflicts.”

The IOC avoided making a direct reference to the war initiated on Saturday by Israel and the United States against Iran, while Los Angeles will host the next edition of the Summer Olympic Games in 2028.

Without mentioning any specific country, the organization lamented “a world shaken by conflicts, tragedies, and divisions” and recalled the role of sport as “a beacon of hope.”

At the same time, the IOC stated that it “does not have the means to ensure the implementation” of the resolution on the Olympic Truce, adopted on November 19 of last year by the United Nations (UN).

This non-binding text, inspired by the safe-conducts granted to participants of the Ancient Games, aims to allow all athletes qualified for the Olympic Games (February 6 to 22) and the Paralympic Games (March 6 to 15) to “attend the host country.”

“We appeal to all UN member states to support the athletes qualified for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games, as well as those likely to be affected by the most recent conflicts, to allow them to arrive at the Games safely,” wrote the organization.

Consulted by AFP, an IOC spokesperson confirmed that the organization would not make further comments on the Israeli and American actions taken against Iran on Saturday, nor on the retaliatory attacks launched by Tehran in the Gulf.

The reaction of the Olympic entity contrasts sharply with that of four years ago, at the time of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, shortly after the Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

On that occasion, the IOC immediately condemned “the violation of the Olympic Truce by the Russian government and the Belarusian government” and recommended that international federations cancel the competitions scheduled in both countries and ban their flags, measures that remain in effect.

Since February 28, 2022, the IOC also recommended the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes from all international competitions, before readmitting them a year later under a neutral flag and strict conditions.

*with content from AFP

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.