{"id":7113,"date":"2025-12-12T07:52:03","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T00:52:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/?p=7113"},"modified":"2025-12-12T07:52:06","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T00:52:06","slug":"olympic-summit-reaffirms-athletes-fundamental-rights-to-access-sport-without-political-interference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/olympic-summit-reaffirms-athletes-fundamental-rights-to-access-sport-without-political-interference\/","title":{"rendered":"Olympic Summit reaffirms athletes\u2019 fundamental rights to access sport without political interference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The leading representatives of the Olympic Movement met yesterday for the 14th Olympic Summit at Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, at the invitation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Chaired by IOC President Kirsty Coventry, the Summit discussed the \u201cFit for the Future\u201d consultation process which Coventry started when taking over the IOC Presidency on 24 June this year, and the outcomes of the IOC Executive Board (EB) meeting on 9 and 10 December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The participants also received updates on the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games; the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games; the LA28 Olympic Games; and anti-doping matters following the 2025 World Conference on Doping in Sport, which was held earlier this month in Busan, Republic of Korea.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Olympic Summit recapped the&nbsp;IOC\u2019s ongoing \u201cFit for the Future\u201d consultations. \u201cOver the past six months, we\u2019ve experienced a fast-paced environment. Thank you to all of you for your time and effort in providing feedback on the \u2018Fit for the Future\u2019 consultations. Your insights have helped us identify both opportunities and challenges, guiding us toward collective success as one Olympic family,\u201d Coventry said when welcoming the participants.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While discussing the \u201cFit for the Future\u201d process, the 14th Olympic Summit endorsed the principles established by the IOC\u2019s Working Group on the protection of the Fundamental Principles of Olympism, notably that the existing Principles and Olympic Charter Rules provide strong tools to ensure that the Olympic Movement remains politically neutral.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the wide-ranging discussion, the importance of political neutrality for the Olympic Movement was acknowledged, as it allows athletes to access sport across the world without interference. At the same time, it was highlighted that the concept of political neutrality within the Olympic Movement and sport needs clearer definition, and its practical application should be further clarified. The&nbsp;IOC\u2019s Working Group will take this up.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Summit also reaffirmed that athletes have a fundamental right to access sport across the world, and to compete free from political interference or pressure from governmental&nbsp;organisations. As role models in society, athletes have at the same time a responsibility and an obligation to respect, uphold and promote the Olympic values, before, during and after competition.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In light of the discussion around the principles, the Summit supported the&nbsp;IOC EB\u2019s recommendation that youth athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport should no longer be restricted in their access to international youth competitions, in both individual and team sports. The definition of youth competitions and the application of these recommendations depends for this purpose on the regulations of each International Federation (IF). The Summit participants committed to take these discussions back to their organisations for their consideration. It was recognised that implementation by the stakeholders will take time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, the standard protocols of the IF or the International Sports Event&nbsp;Organiser regarding flags, anthems, uniforms and other elements should apply, provided that the national sports organisation concerned is in good standing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The above principles should apply to the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, and are recommended for adoption by all&nbsp;IFs and International Sports Event Organisers for their own\u202fyouth\u202fevents.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the same time, and based on the Fundamental Principles of&nbsp;Olympism, all athletes and their entourage must continue to support the Olympic Movement\u2019s mission to promote unity and peace. Athletes and entourage members who act against this peace mission could be removed from competitions by the IF, their National Federation, their National Olympic Committee or the International Sports Event Organiser.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In parallel, the\u00a0IOC\u2019s Recommended Conditions of Participation for International Federations and International Sports Event Organisers of 28 March 2023 should remain in place for senior competitions, and will be reviewed as necessary.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Existing sanctions against the Russian and&nbsp;Belarusian governments should also remain in place. In particular, the restriction on accreditations or invitations to international sports events or meetings for government officials from Russia and Belarus should remain in place for both senior and youth events.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>IFs should continue to refrain from organising or supporting international sports events in Russia. This recommendation no longer applies to Belarus.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With its considerations, the Olympic Summit\u00a0recognised that athletes, and in particular youth athletes, should not be held accountable for the actions of their governments \u2013 sport is their access to hope, and a way to show that all athletes can respect the same rules and each another.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">LIST OF PARTICIPANTS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>IOC President<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Kirsty COVENTRY (Chair)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>IOC Vice-Presidents<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Juan Antonio SAMARANCH<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nawal EL MOUTAWAKEL<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gerardo WERTHEIN<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pierre-Olivier BECKERS-VIEUJANT (excused)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Athletes\u2019 Commissions<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Emma TERHO, Chair of the IOC Athletes\u2019 Commission<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gaby AHRENS, Chair of the ANOCA Athletes\u2019 Commission<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DING Ning, Chair of the OCA Athletes\u2019 Commission<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Isabel SWAN, Chair of the Panam Sports Athletes\u2019 Commission (excused)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Johanna TALIHARM, Chair of the EOC Athletes\u2019 Commission (excused)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ken WALLACE, Chair of the ONOC Athletes\u2019 Commission<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>International Federations\/Associations<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Ingmar DE VOS, President of ASOIF<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nenad LALOVIC, IOC EB Summer IF Representative<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ivo FERRIANI, President of WOF<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Husain AL-MUSALLAM, President of World Aquatics<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sebastian COE, President of World Athletics<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Johan ELIASCH, President of FIS<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gianni INFANTINO, President of FIFA<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jae-youl KIM, President of the ISU<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Luc TARDIF, President of the IIHF<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Morinari WATANABE, President of the FIG<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>National Olympic Committees\/Associations<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Robin MITCHELL, President of ANOC<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mustapha BERRAF, President of ANOCA<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spyros CAPRALOS, President of the EOC<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Timothy FOK, Acting President of the OCA<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Neven ILIC, President of Panam Sports<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Baklai TEMENGIL, President of ONOC (excused)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GAO Zhidan, President of the Chinese Olympic Committee<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gene SYKES, President of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Guests<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Kristin KLOSTER, Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for Milano Cortina 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Humphrey KAYANGE, Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for Dakar 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nicole HOEVERTSZ, Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for LA28 (excused)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Witold BA\u0143KA, President of WADA<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Val\u00e9rie FOURNEYRON, Chair of the International Testing Agency (ITA)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andrew PARSONS, President of the IPC<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Observers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa AL-THANI, Senior Vice-President, ANOC<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jacques ANTENEN, Chair-elect of the ITA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The leading representatives of the Olympic Movement met yesterday for the 14th Olympic Summit at Olympic House in<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7114,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[70],"class_list":["post-7113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press-release","tag-ioc"],"aioseo_notices":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IOC_compressed.jpg",2440,1372,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IOC_compressed-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IOC_compressed-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IOC_compressed-768x432.jpg",640,360,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IOC_compressed-1024x576.jpg",640,360,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IOC_compressed-1536x864.jpg",1536,864,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IOC_compressed-2048x1152.jpg",2048,1152,true],"morenews-large":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IOC_compressed-825x575.jpg",825,575,true],"morenews-medium":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IOC_compressed-590x410.jpg",590,410,true]},"author_info":{"info":["admin"]},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/category\/press-release\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Press Release<\/a>","tag_info":"Press Release","comment_count":"0","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IOC_compressed.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7113","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7113"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7113\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7116,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7113\/revisions\/7116"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7113"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7113"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}