AMTV/LAUSANNE, March 27 – The 11th Olympic Summit that met on 9 December 2022, consisting of the leaders of all stakeholder groups of the Olympic Movement, had requested the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to explore a pathway for athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport to return to international competitions as Individual Neutral Athletes. Following a four-month consultation period, the IOC Executive Board (EB) discussed this request today.
The EB reiterates that the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 was not considered either in the consultations or in its deliberations today. The IOC expressly reserves the right to decide about their participation at the appropriate time, even if they would be considered to have qualified according to the qualification criteria set by their respective International Federations (IFs).
Following the request of the Olympic Summit, extensive consultations and discussions took place with all Olympic Movement stakeholders: the IOC Members, the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), the IFs and the global network of athletes’ representatives. The IOC EB also issued a statement on 25 January 2023, entitled: Statement on solidarity with Ukraine, sanctions against Russia and Belarus, and the status of athletes from these countries.
During these consultations, all Olympic Movement stakeholders once again reiterated their support for the IOC’s call for peace. The Olympic Movement continues to make its contributions to any peace-building efforts. It feels deeply for the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian Olympic community, whose pain and suffering are beyond imagination.
It was also emphasised that the Olympic Games cannot prevent wars and conflicts. Nor can they address all the political and social challenges in our world. This is the realm of politics. But the Olympic Games can set an example for a world where everyone respects the same rules and one another. They can inspire us to solve problems by building bridges, leading to better understanding among people. They can open the door to dialogue and peace-building in ways that exclusion and division do not.
Solidarity with Ukrainian athletes reaffirmed
The IOC EB today reaffirms the steadfast commitment of the entire Olympic Movement to help Ukrainian athletes in every way possible, in order to see a strong team from the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. In order to achieve this, the IOC has tripled its Solidarity Fund for the NOC of Ukraine to USD 7.5 million.
At least 3,000 Ukrainian athletes and other members of the Olympic community of Ukraine have benefitted from the IOC Solidarity Fund through the NOC of Ukraine over the past 12 months, and from direct assistance from other Olympic Movement stakeholders, including the IFs and the NOCs. These efforts have taken the form of financial and logistical support, in order to ensure that Ukrainian athletes can continue to train and take part in competitions by providing travel support, training facilities, accommodation, equipment and uniforms, amongst other items.
Sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian governments must remain in place
The IOC EB reiterates today its condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is a blatant violation of the Olympic Truce that was in effect at the time, and of the Olympic Charter. For this reason, the IOC has already sanctioned the Russian and Belarusian states and governments, who are solely responsible for this war, in an unprecedented way. In particular, the IOC has recommended that:
no international sports events be organised in Russia and Belarus;
no flag, anthems or other national symbols whatsoever should be displayed at any international sports events; and
no government or state officials should be accredited for or invited to any international sports events.
These sanctions were put in place in February 2022 and were then reinforced and confirmed by the Olympic Summit on 9 December 2022. The IOC EB today underlines that they remain firmly in place.
Political interference in sport
In the most recent series of consultations, the Olympic Movement stakeholders reiterated their firm rejection of any political interference in the autonomous authority of sports organisations to decide on participation in their competitions. This clear and strong reaction to political interference was considered necessary, because if governments took over the decisions regarding which athletes can take part in which competitions, it would be the end of world sport as we know it today.
Sports organisations must have the sole responsibility to decide which athletes can take part in international competitions based on their sporting merits and not on political grounds or because of their passports.
In all the deliberations, particular attention was paid to the views from the Ukrainian sports community. The 70 other ongoing armed conflicts and wars around the world (source: Crisis Group, CrisisWatch Database) were also considered, including the situations in the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, and the southern Caucasus. It was noted that NOCs in the regions impacted by these armed conflicts and wars are following the principles of the Olympic Charter. They are not requesting the exclusion of athletes from the other party in the armed conflict or war, and they are allowing their athletes to compete in international sporting competitions without restrictions.
Human rights considerations
The Olympic Movement stakeholders also saw a need to address the protective measures for athletes and officials with a Russian or Belarusian passport that are currently in place, particularly in the context of the adoption of the “Sport as an enabler of sustainable development” resolution (A/77L.28) by the United Nations General Assembly on 1 December 2022. This resolution recognises that “major international sports events should be organised in the spirit of peace, mutual understanding and international cooperation, friendship and tolerance, and without discrimination of any kind, and that the unifying and conciliative nature of such events should be respected”. It also explicitly acknowledges: “the Olympic Charter, and that any form of discrimination is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement”. It was passed by consensus by all UN Member States, including the governments of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.
More recently, judgments by the Court of Justice of the European Union further confirmed that sanctions cannot solely be based on a person holding a passport from a particular nation, nor can they be applied simply on the basis of affiliation.
In addition, the urgent request expressed by the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights and the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance of the United Nations Human Rights Council was also taken into account.
They said on 1 February 2023: “UN experts today commended the International Olympic Committee for considering allowing individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in international sports competitions as neutral athletes. We urge the IOC to adopt a decision in that direction, and to go further, ensuring the non-discrimination of any athlete on the basis of their nationality.”
The Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights also joined the meeting of the IOC Advisory Committee on Human Rights on 16 and 17 March 2023 and spoke with the athletes’ representatives in their call on 24 March 2023. She also addressed the IOC Members, NOCs and IFs in their consultation calls. In her remarks she considered the legal arguments provided by the NOCs of Ukraine and Germany. Please find here the transcript of the introduction to her remarks.
The IOC has to rely on the authority of the UN Special Rapporteur, who is appointed by the UN “to raise awareness… draw the attention of governments and others on alleged human rights violations… ask that the violations are prevented, stopped, investigated, or that remedial action is taken.” This is exactly what the Special Rapporteur has done.
International sports competitions
During the consultations with the Olympic Movement stakeholders, which extended over a period of four months, the vast majority of the stakeholders were clear that they want a pathway to be opened for the competitions under their sole authority. They requested from the IOC recommendations in order to harmonise their approach, in the event that they decide to admit athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport to their competitions. The IOC strongly recommends taking such a decision only with the provision that it can be revoked at the discretion of the IF concerned.
Following this request, the IOC EB today issues to IFs and international sports event organisers the following recommendations:
Athletes with a Russian or a Belarusian passport must compete only as Individual Neutral Athletes.
Teams of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport cannot be considered.
Athletes who actively support the war cannot compete. Support personnel who actively support the war cannot be entered.
Athletes who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies cannot compete. Support personnel who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies cannot be entered.
Any such Individual Neutral Athlete, like all the other participating athletes, must meet all anti-doping requirements applicable to them and particularly those set out in the anti-doping rules of the IFs.
The sanctions against those responsible for the war, the Russian and Belarusian states and governments, must remain in place:
No international sports events organised or supported by an IF or NOC in Russia or Belarus.
No flag, anthem, colours or any other identifications whatsoever of these countries displayed at any sports event or meeting, including the entire venue.
No Russian and Belarusian government or state official can be invited to or accredited for any international sports event or meeting.
No decision on Paris 2024 or Milano Cortina 2026 participation
The IOC EB confirmed that these recommendations do not concern the participation of athletes and their support personnel with a Russian or Belarusian passport at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 or the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The IOC will take this decision at the appropriate time, at its full discretion, and without being bound by the results of previous Olympic qualification competitions.
Throughout the application of the above-mentioned exemptions by the IFs, the IOC will closely monitor the full implementation of these recommendations by all parties concerned. The results of this monitoring procedure will be an important factor in the decision by the IOC concerning the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
8月7日迈阿密讯，隶属于餐饮品牌国际公司 (RBI）的连锁餐厅汉堡王（Burger King ）8月6日公布，其美国同店销售额连续5个季度增长，今年第二季度增长8.5%，现已超越温蒂汉堡（Wendy’s），成为美国第二大汉堡连锁店。而汉王堡自6年前被竞争对手温蒂汉堡超越后，终于重新夺回了排名第二的宝座。 根据温蒂汉堡公司今天公布的最新季度财报显示，其美国同店销售额下降了7%，已连续6个季度下滑。 温蒂汉堡今年5月刚上任首席执行官的鲍勃·赖特（Bob Wright）今天在该公司财报电话会议上表示：“我们的质量差异化优势已经减弱，我们的价值主张也已落空，我们未能始终如一地提供顾客期望从温蒂汉堡获得的体验，这些问题影响了客流量，给餐厅的经济模式带来了压力，而餐厅的经济模式正是这家企业的命脉所在，这一点也反映在我们最新的业绩报告中。” 该排名变化源于汉堡王和温蒂汉堡过去2年业绩的分化。与此同时，麦当劳（McDonald’s）则仍然继续保持其排名第一的汉堡连锁店的地位，并保持着显著的领先优势。 据总部位于伦敦的巴克莱银行（Barclays）预测，到2024年，麦当劳将占据美国汉堡市场约48%的份额。相比之下，届时温蒂汉堡的市场份额为11.4%，而汉堡王则为10%。 温蒂汉堡最初凭借其在全美范围内成功推出的早餐超越了汉堡王。但保持第二名的位置并非易事。温蒂汉堡和汉堡王都不得不曾因为应对新冠疫情及其引发的供应链问题，这些问题导致了食品成本飙升。随后，美国消费者对不断上涨的菜单价格的抵制，以及餐饮支出的减少也接踵而至。 2022年底，汉堡王母公司餐饮品牌公司宣布了一项针对汉堡王美国业务的扭亏为盈计划，此前汉堡王的销售业绩在一年内表现平平。该战略的重点在于提升食品质量、加大市场营销投入以及翻新餐厅。 在汉堡王努力重振旗鼓的同时，温蒂汉堡却面临着首席执行官频繁更迭的困境。而此时，美国消费者对性价比的追求日益高涨，牛肉价格也飞涨。 2024年，温蒂汉堡的长期首席执行官托德·佩内戈尔（Todd Penegor）在任职8年后退休。百事可乐（Pepsi）高管柯克·坦纳（Kirk Tanner）接任，但一年多后便离职，转而执掌北美最大的巧克力公司好时（Hershey’s），由温蒂汉堡首席财务官肯·库克（Ken…
8月7日华盛顿讯，美国总统特朗普计划今天宣布一项超过1.8亿美元的拨款计划，旨在促进美国采矿业的教育和贸易项目，以提升关键矿产的产量。 一位白宫官员表示，特朗普总统将在美国国务院举行的圆桌会议上公布这项计划，与会者包括科罗拉多矿业学院等高校的教育界领袖。美国国务卿马可·卢比奥（Marco Rubio)、内政部长道格·伯古姆（Doug Burgum）和商务部长霍华德·卢特尼克（Howard Lutnick）也计划出席。 美国能源部正在启动一项1亿美元的拨款计划，旨在通过在未来2年内大幅增加美国采矿和关键矿产相关领域的毕业生人数，来扩大该行业的劳动力队伍。一位官员表示，该计划预计将为奖学金和其他项目提供资金支持。美国大学、社区学院、职业学校、行业团体和其他合作伙伴均可申请。 此外，美国军方还将向3所大学提供超过8000万美元的额外资金。科罗拉多矿业学院（Colorado School of Mines）预计将获得3270万美元用于建设技术发展中心，南达科他矿业学院（South Dakota School of Mines）将获得2500万美元用于设立劳动力发展项目，约翰·霍普金斯大学（Johns Hopkins…
8月6日华盛顿讯，已入院救治长达2个多月的肯塔基州共和党参议员米奇·麦康奈尔（Mitch McConnell）今天表示，他已从医院出院，此前他自6月14日突然入院救治近两个月，并有传言称他已经脑死亡。 现年84岁高龄的麦康奈尔在一份声明中称：“今天早些时候，我从康复中心出院，回家继续康复。” 但该声明并没有说明麦康奈尔预计何时返回美国参议院。 麦康奈尔在声明中还称：“根据医生的建议，在议会工作期间，我将在家进行高强度的物理治疗，并将继续与我的工作人员和同事们一起处理重要的参议院事务。” 麦康奈尔近年来多次在公共场所发生健康状况，他自6月入院救治期间，他及其幕僚很少谈及他的健康状况，引发外界对其病情的广泛猜测，甚至有传言他已经脑死亡，依靠机器维持生命。直至7月12日，麦康奈尔办公室才对外发表声明称，他因摔倒入院，之后被转至医院救治。 麦康奈尔当时在一份声明中称：“我的医生已经确认我没有骨折，也没有脑震荡。我没有心脏病发作，也没有中风。我没有任何肿瘤或出血。但我确实短暂失去意识，并被送往医院。在过去几周里，我得到了很好的治疗，但同时也患上了轻微的肺炎。” 麦康奈尔主治医师办公室也在一份声明中称，麦康奈尔受了“轻伤”，但他“没有骨折、心脏异常、中风、肿瘤或出血”。 7月27日，麦康奈尔主治医师办公室在一份新的声明中对外解释，麦康奈尔正在接受“严格的”物理治疗，以降低跌倒的风险。该声明还解释说，“他童年时期患的小儿麻痹症仍然是影响他行动能力的一个重要因素。”
8月6日德州沃斯堡讯，美国航空公司（American Airlines）宣布，自8月25日起，将停止在美国境内航班，包括部分跨大陆和夏威夷航线的精英常旅客提供经济舱升为商务舱的升舱服务，但将有机会免费升舱至高端经济舱。 此举将使该航空公司的精英常旅客，不得不告别部分长途国内航线上的免费经济舱升舱至商务舱的福利。 此变化再次表明，美国航空公司和其他航空公司正努力减少高价座位的免费赠送，以增加收入和利润。随着越来越多的乘客选择购买价格更高、空间更宽敞的座位，许多航班的升舱难度也随之增加。 此次将免费升舱至高端经济舱的航线包括：纽约肯尼迪国际机场至洛杉矶；波士顿至旧金山；达拉斯-沃斯堡国际机场至夏威夷檀香山、科纳和毛伊岛；凤凰城至檀香山；以及芝加哥奥黑尔国际机场至檀香山和毛伊岛。 总部位于德克萨斯州沃斯堡的美国航空公司表示，购买了高级经济舱机票，或在购买经济舱机票后升舱的精英会员仍可享受免费升舱。 美国航空公司还表示：“我们将尽力满足您的座位偏好，但具体选择可能因机型和座位供应情况而异。高级经济舱的部分机型包含中间座位，因此如果其他座位已满，您可能会被安排在中间座位。”，
8月6日华盛顿讯，白宫表示，新指令将依据现有移民当局的权力，缩小自动获得公民权的资格范围。 美国总统特朗普今天签署了两项针对出生公民权和生育旅游的行政命令，以应对美国最高法院做出裁决，新的行政命令将依据现有移民当局的权力，缩小自动获得美国公民权的资格范围。 此前，美国最高法院驳回了特朗普总统旨在限制根据宪法第十四修正案自动享有的出生公民权的行政命令。 特朗普总统表示：“我们正在做出调整，因为这非常不公平，他们正围绕出生公民权建立商业帝国。这根本不是事情原本应该有的样子。这太可耻了。他们用钱买通关系，我们绝不会让他们得逞。” 白宫政策副幕僚长斯蒂芬·米勒（Stephen Miller）表示，新指令依据现有的行政和移民授权，旨在缩小某些情况下自动获得公民身份的资格范围，同时严厉打击前往美国生育的外国人。 米勒表示，第一项命令扩大了政府认定不符合出生公民权资格的人员类别，其中包括“美国的敌对势力、外国恐怖组织成员以及代表外国政府进行游说和行动的大量人员”。 米勒还表示，第二项命令是“美国历史上首次禁止生育旅游”。他说，美国政府将拒绝向那些试图进入美国“生育子女，使子女自动获得公民身份”的人，以及向组织此类旅行的人发放签证。 米勒援引《移民和国籍法》第215(a)条，称生育旅游“从定义上讲，就是对美国制度的欺诈”和“对美国政府的欺诈”。 特朗普总统在被问及美国政府计划如何执行这项命令时说：“我们将采取非常非常严厉的打击行动……这将赋予我们以更强硬的方式执行命令的权力。” 特朗普总统在被问及这些行政命令能否经受住法律挑战时说：“我认为可以。” 白宫幕僚秘书威尔·沙夫（Will Scharf）表示，这些行政命令旨在通过拒签签证和执法手段打击有组织的生育旅游活动，并强调特朗普政府所依据的是“合法有效的手段”，并不与美国最高法院的裁决相冲突。
8月5日莫斯科讯，俄罗斯黑海度假小镇一处拥挤的海滩8月3日发生爆炸，一团火球引爆。事发当天，一枚疑似乌克兰无人机击中小镇格连吉克（Gelendzhik）附近一处拥挤的海滩，造成包括4名儿童在内的7位平民死亡，数十人受伤。遭遇袭击的度假者们纷纷逃离现场。 一段视频画面显示，袭击事发地点位于俄罗斯黑海渡假小镇格连吉克附近的阿尔希波-奥西波夫卡村，该海滩遭遇袭击时挤满了游客。 俄罗斯驻日内瓦代表团在社交媒体X网站上发帖称，这起“血腥袭击”是由乌克兰发射的无人机实施的，并指责乌克兰当局以平民为袭击目标。 地区州长维尼亚明·孔德拉季耶夫（Veniamin Kondratyev）在社交应用Telegram上发帖说：“此次袭击的目标是民用基础设施。紧急救援和特勤人员正在坠机现场开展工作。” 孔德拉季耶夫还说：“今天发生的事件是基辅政权针对与军事基础设施毫无关联的平民发动的蓄意袭击。这种针对儿童的冷酷无情、毫无人性的恐怖袭击是绝对不能被容忍的。” 视频显示，在无人机坠落海滩前几秒，可以听到类似枪声的声音，随后无人机爆炸引发火球，惊得许多旁观者尖叫。在听到枪声的同时，无人机似乎突然转向，然后俯冲向海滩。 孔德拉季耶夫表示，俄罗斯的初步报告也显示，部分死亡事件是由“坠落的无人机碎片”造成的。 一名乌克兰国防军军官安德烈·科瓦连科（Andriy Kovalenko）在驳斥俄罗斯方面说法时声称，这些死亡事件是俄罗斯防空部队直接造成的，他们拦截了一架无人机，并将碎片抛落到海滩上。 科瓦连科在社交应用Telegram上写道：“俄罗斯防空部队击落了一架在海滩上飞越人们头顶的无人机。” 科瓦连科还在另一篇帖子中声称，乌克兰利用其武器攻击俄罗斯的军事工业基础设施，旨在削弱莫斯科的战争经费来源。他还指责俄罗斯总统普京通过将每日发生的爆炸淡化为坠落的碎片、限制空袭警报以及在黑海度假胜地等人口稠密地区附近部署防空系统，营造出俄罗斯可以免受战争威胁的“假象”。 科瓦连科称：“普京蓄意杀害了这些人。如果他没有发动战争，没有袭击乌克兰，他们就不会死。是普京，是他的防空部队，杀害了这些俄罗斯人。他针对他们自身决定的回应，引发了一连串针对俄罗斯人的死亡。”