The IOC will lose too much money if it bars America from participating.
The United States will have a team competing at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics. That should come as no surprise as the International Olympic Committee needs America for financial reasons as Philadelphia-based Comcast, through its divisions including NBC and Peacock, is paying the IOC billions of dollars for the American video rights to the event. The United States media company by far spends more money than other global media outlet. There also is a financial consideration from marketing partners, many of them from the United States. But the IOC felt the need to make a statement that America will be welcomed in Italy despite United States’ special forces actions in Venezuela which led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro. Some federations are asking why the United States is not getting punished for its action in Venezuela while Russia and Belarus will not have their national teams at the Games because of the ongoing war with Ukraine.
The IOC statement read. “We cannot directly engage in political matters or conflicts between countries, as these lie outside our remit, and our role is to ensure that athletes can participate in the Olympic Games regardless of their origin.” The IOC claimed the Venezuela operation was different from other global problems. The IOC pointed out that the situation in Venezuela does not meet the parameters that prompted extraordinary action in the past. The IOC once banned South Africa because of Apartheid. The IOC has been wrestling with Russia inclusion at its event after the Russians invaded Ukraine during the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. About a week before the start of the Milan-Cortina Games the Olympic Truce goes into effect. The IOC wants to see all hostilities take a break for about a month while the Games take place. The problem for the IOC? No one is listening.
Evan Weiner’s books are available at iTunes – https://books.apple.com/us/author/evan-weiner/id595575191
Evan can be reached at evan_weiner@hotmail.com
