The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine has officially filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in protest of the International Olympic Committee's decision to lift the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).

According to Reuters and the BBC, the Ukrainian side submitted a statement of claim to CAS, stating, "The IOC's decision on the 8th to provisionally lift Russia's suspension is premature and violates the Olympic Charter."

Previously, the IOC suspended the ROC in October 2023 as a penalty for incorporating sports organizations from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories into its own system. However, on the 8th of this month, the IOC lifted the suspension and significantly eased restrictions on Russian athletes.

Ukraine argued that the IOC hastily restored these rights even though the issue of Russia's violation of territorial integrity—which served as the basis for the suspension—has not been rectified at all.

"CAS already confirmed the legitimacy of the suspension in 2024, ruling that Russia's incorporation of sports organizations in occupied Ukrainian territories violated the Olympic Charter and Ukraine's territorial integrity," Ukraine criticized, adding that the IOC's recent decision ignores previous rulings.

The lifting of the IOC's suspension paves the way for Russian athletes to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

However, the IOC has not yet clarified its stance on whether Russian athletes will be allowed to compete under their national flag and anthem.

Ukraine emphasized, "We will mobilize all legal means to defend the rights of Ukrainian sports."

(Photo: Getty Images Korea)