Ukraine crisis: IOC withdraws Olympic Order from Putin, other Russian officials

Lausanne, Feb 28 (IANS) The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday decided to withdraw the Olympic Order given to Russian President Vladimir Putin and two other top functionaries for the "extremely grave violation of the Olympic Truce and other violations of the Olympic Charter by the Russian government" by its invasion of Ukraine.

The IOC's Executive Board (EB) took this decision during a meeting on Monday. Besides Putin, the Olympic Order has been taken away from Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister, and Dmitry Kozak, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office.

The IOC had awarded the Olympic Order - Gold to Putin in 2001, while Chernyshenko and Kozak were given the same honour in 2014, the year Russia hosted the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Sochi.

The IOC has also decided to withdraw the Olympic Order from all persons who currently have an important function in the government of the Russian Federation or other government-related high-ranking positions.

"The IOC EB has, based on the exceptional circumstances of the situation and considering the extremely grave violation of the Olympic Truce and other violations of the Olympic Charter by the Russian government in the past, taken the ad hoc decision to withdraw the Olympic Order from all persons who currently have an important function in the government of the Russian Federation or other government-related high-ranking position," the IOC said in a release after the EB meeting.

The IOC EB said it welcomes and appreciates the many calls for peace by athletes, sports officials and members of the worldwide Olympic Community. The IOC admires and supports in particular the calls for peace by Russian athletes.

"The IOC EB reaffirms its full solidarity with the Ukrainian Olympic Community. They are in our hearts and thoughts. The IOC EB commits to continue and strengthen its efforts for humanitarian assistance. Therefore, the IOC EB has today established a solidarity fund. In this context, the IOC expresses its gratitude to the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Sports Federations that are already supporting Ukrainian athletes and their families," the IOC said.

The IOC said it has taken these decisions because "the current war in Ukraine, however, puts the Olympic Movement in a dilemma. While athletes from Russia and Belarus would be able to continue to participate in sports events, many athletes from Ukraine are prevented from doing so because of the attack on their country".