The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has issued a warning to countries that exclude athletes from competition for political reasons, cautioning that such actions may have consequences for their plans to host future Olympic Games.
This warning comes amid concerns about the increasing politicization of sports.
While specific countries were not identified, Poland and Indonesia have expressed interest in hosting the 2036 Olympics, the next available Summer Games to be awarded. Poland had previously refused to allow Russian athletes to compete in the European Games, while Indonesia lost its hosting rights for the men’s Under-20 World Cup due to its reluctance to stage games involving Israel.
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović highlights issue of government restrictions
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, an IOC member and former president of Croatia, highlighted the issue of government restrictions on athletes’ access to international sporting competitions during an IOC annual meeting in Mumbai. She stressed the importance of all potential hosts committing to abide by the IOC’s code of ethics and rules of conduct.
Grabar-Kitarović chairs the IOC panel that engages with potential Summer Games bidders, and she emphasized that any violation of the Olympic Charter would be taken into consideration throughout the dialogue with potential hosts.
The decision on the host for the 2036 Olympics is expected to be made “not before 2026 or 2027” through a new process that avoids public campaigns and contested votes. Instead, potential hosts work with the IOC behind the scenes, leading to a preferred candidate entering an exclusive negotiating period to refine their plans.
The IOC’s recommendation for the 2030 and 2034 Winter Olympics hosts to be chosen simultaneously in Paris was approved by IOC members. Sweden, France, Switzerland, and the United States are among the potential bidders for these editions.
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