New Delhi: The International Olympic Committee has decided to
“suspend all discussions” with India regarding hosting of global
sporting events after Pakistani shooters were not issued visas for the World
Cup in New Delhi.
The Olympic committee also revoked the Olympic qualification
status for the men’s 25m rapid fire event from the New Delhi World Cup due to
denial of visas to the Pakistani shooters in the wake of last week’s Pulwama
terrorist attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
The IOC said it will not allow India to organise
Olympic-related events in the future, unless written assurances are obtained
from the government.
The two Pakistani shooters’ participation in the tournament
had become doubtful after the terrorist attack had been reported.
The IOC’s decision comes hours after International Shooting
Sport Federation (ISSF) President Vladimir Lisin announced that all the
allotted 16 Olympic quotas for the 2020 Games would be scrapped. However, the
apex body limited the withholding of quotas to only two while retaining 14.
“The IOC restricted the withdrawal of recognition as an
Olympic qualification event to the 25m rapid fire pistol competition in which
the two Pakistani athletes were supposed to participate. This happened in the
interest of the other 500 athletes from 61 countries participating in the other
events who are already in India for their competition,” the IOC said in a
statement after its executive board meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland Thursday.
“Since becoming aware of the issue and in spite of
intense last-minute joint efforts by the IOC, the ISSF and the Indian National
Olympic Committee (NOC), and discussions with the Indian government
authorities, no solution has been found to allow the Pakistani delegation to
enter India in time to compete.” the statement said.
The IOC came down heavily on India for going against the
Olympic charter.
“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.
“As a result, the IOC executive board also decided to
suspend all discussions with the Indian NOC and 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 (IFs) neither award nor hold sports events in India until the
above-mentioned guarantees are obtained,” the IOC said.
The Pakistan shooting federation Wednesday requested the ISSF
not to offer quota places in the events their shooters were scheduled to
participate in.
Pakistan had applied for visas for two shooters — G M Bashir
and Khalil Ahmed — in the rapid fire category as the event in New Delhi also
served as a qualifier for the 2020 Olympic games.
IOC ‘Suspends Discussions’ With India For Hosting Global Events
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