The International Olympic Committee Rejects Excluding Israel from Competitions: Athletes Must Adhere to the Olympic Charter

The International Olympic Committee commented on Tuesday regarding calls for sanctions against Israeli athletes due to the events in Gaza, affirming that all athletes must respect the Olympic Charter.

The committee stated in a statement reported by the Spanish newspaper "Marca" that "the National Olympic Committee of Israel and the Olympic Committee of Palestine are officially recognized and have the same rights, and both are committed to the Olympic Charter. We continue to work with them to try to mitigate the impact of the current conflict on athletes."

The statement added that Palestinian and Israeli athletes participated peacefully in the Paris 2024 Olympics under one roof in the Olympic Village, despite political tensions.

Calls for excluding Israel had intensified following the deterioration of the situation in Gaza, with one of the most prominent advocates being Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, citing the comparison to the sanctions imposed by the committee on Russian and Belarusian athletes during the war in Ukraine.

The committee confirmed that it has the authority to impose sanctions on any country or delegation, but it emphasizes its commitment to the principle of the independence of sport and respect for the rights of athletes under the Olympic Charter.