Italy is excluded from the Olympics

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) sent Tuesday a warning letter to the Italian Olympic Committee in the context of a bill that would undermine its independence and could at least lead to the exclusion of Italy's Olympics.

The Corriere de la Serra revealed on Tuesday a letter obtained by AFP, in which the IOC said it was "seriously concerned" by a draft decree-law that, if approved, " clearly affect the independence of the Italian Olympic Committee ". .

The International Olympic Committee has stated that "belonging to the Olympic Movement imposes respect for the Olympic Charter", saying that the adoption of this text would result in the National Committee "not complying with the principles of the Olympic Committee". the Olympic Charter ".

In his letter to Giovanni Malago, President of the Italian Committee, James McCloud, Director of Relations with National Olympic Committees, proposed amendments to the draft decree, stressing that the National Committee should not be reorganized by unilateral decisions of the government, as provided in the original text.

The International Olympic Committee also confirmed that it was ready to hold a meeting this week with its Italian counterpart in Lausanne to "help solve this problem".

"The situation is complicated," a source close to the case told AFP.

The IOC recalled that Article 27.9 of the Olympic Charter stipulates that in case of violation of the Charter, its executive council "may take all appropriate decisions to protect the Olympic Movement in the country of the National Olympic Committee. , which could constitute a suspension or withdrawal of the recognition of the National Committee ". If the constitution, laws or other regulations of that State, or any act of a government agency or any other entity, has the effect of "interfering with the activities of the National Committee Olympic"

This question comes two months after Milan / Cortina d'Ampezzo was chosen to host the Winter Olympics of 2026 at the expense of Stockholm.

In 2015, the IOC suspended the Kuwait Olympic Committee for political interference, forcing Kuwaiti athletes to compete under a neutral flag at the 2016 Rio Olympics, before the suspension was suspended in July.