BERLIN (Reuters) – The International Olympic Committee on Monday refused to acknowledge the appointment of Viktor son of President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko as head of the country’s Olympic Committee.
With both father and son already barred from attending the Olympics as part of temporary measures taken by the IOC in December, the Olympic organization said it did not recognize Viktor’s election on February 26 to a senior position. the national Olympic Committee (NOC).
Viktor’s father succeeded as leader of the NOC.
“The IOC also noted with great disappointment that the NOC had not fully addressed … that the previous leadership … had not adequately protected Belarusian athletes from semi- political judgment, ”the IOC said in a statement.
They said the IOC Governing Body decided during their meeting on Monday not to recognize Lukashenko’s election as the new president and upheld all temporary measures taken in December.
The IOC has stated that Belarusian athletes have not been protected from political discrimination due to the country’s recent political unrest.
Alexander Lukashenko, who has been head of the Belarus Olympic Committee since 1997, referred to his sixth presidential term in August last year in a vote that the opposition says was harsh and harsh. murder with breaches.
He denies election fraud and is accused of thwarting a major crackdown on protesters who took to the streets following last year’s election, as well as aimed at great athletes who openly supported the opponents.
The IOC in December banned Lukashenko and his son from attending the Games and abolished all other IOC activities while also suspending any payments to the national committee except only those to support athletes to qualify for the Olympic Games.
Reciting with Karolos Grohmann; Edited by Giles Elgood