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These pictures will probably not be available at the 2022 Olympics: Supporters from North Korea during the 2018 Winter Olympics
Photo: Jean-Christophe Bott / dpa
North Korea's Olympic Committee will be banned from the Olympic community until the end of 2022.
Because North Korea is the only country not to send athletes to the Summer Games in Tokyo, it has violated the Olympic Charter, the executive branch of the International Olympic Committee decided.
With the "unilateral decision," North Korea "did not meet its obligations," said IOC President Thomas Bach.
In the course of the suspension, North Korea's NOK will no longer receive any Olympic grants or funds from IOC pots.
If North Korean athletes qualify for the Winter Games in Beijing in February 2022, the IOC top will make a decision about their participation, according to a statement.
"We left that door open," said Bach.
Athletes should not suffer from the suspension of the NOK.
Did not travel to Japan due to corona concerns
North Korea justified the decision to waive the Olympics at the end of March with the consequences of the corona pandemic.
They wanted to "protect our athletes from the global public health crisis caused by Covid-19," it said at the time.
Pyongyang closed its borders early last year for fear of the virus being introduced.
At the time, the IOC reacted with surprise to the North Koreans' decision and pointed out that there had been no official request.
In further discussions, the IOC had given a number of assurances and also promised vaccinations.
North Korea had also been warned of the consequences of not participating in Tokyo.
jan / dpa