The International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended the Russian National Olympic Committee on Thursday October 12 “with immediate effect” for having placed five organizations in occupied Ukrainian regions under its authority, a spokesperson announced. This decision automatically deprives the Russian body of Olympic funding, but has no consequences on the possible presence of Russian athletes under a neutral banner at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, which will be decided by the IOC “at the appropriate time”, a indicated the same source. Ukraine immediately welcomed the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, welcoming an “important decision”. “Sport cannot be separated from politics when a terrorist country commits genocide against Ukraine and uses athletes as propaganda,” declared the head of the Ukrainian presidency, Andrii Iermak. For its part, the Russian Olympic Committee denounced a “political” and “counterproductive” decision.