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≡ U.N. ADOPTS OLYMPIC TRUCE ≡
The United Nations adopted, by consensus, a resolution introduced by Italy calling for an “Olympic Truce” around the celebration of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games in Italy next year, on Wednesday morning in New York.
The five-page resolution most importantly:
“Urges Member States to observe the Olympic Truce individually and collectively, within the framework of the Charter of the United Nations, throughout the period from the seventh day before the start of the XXV Olympic Winter Games until the seventh day following the end of the XIV Paralympic Winter Games, to be held in Milano-Cortina in 2026, in particular, to ensure the safe passage, access and participation of athletes, officials and all other accredited persons taking part in the Olympic Winter Games and the Paralympic Winter Games, and to contribute through other appropriate measures to the safe organization of the Games.”
That period is, specifically, 30 January 2026 through 22 March 2026, following the close of the Winter Paralympic Games.
The concept of the “Olympic Truce” comes from ancient times when the Greek city-states were asked to allow free passage of athletes and others involved in the Olympic Games to and from Olympia, site of the ancient Games.
Today, 165 U.N. member states co-sponsored the resolution; the IOC revived this ancient tradition in 1992. The delegates were thanked by International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM), who told the General Assembly:
● “Around the world, conflict and division continue to cause untold suffering. In such a world, sport – and the Olympic Games in particular – can offer a rare space where people meet not as adversaries, but as fellow human beings.
“When athletes come together, they do not see nationality, religion, or background. They see one another as fellow athletes. They compete fiercely, yet they embrace as friends, united by the same hopes and dreams. They respect the sacrifices that each of them has made simply to reach the starting line. They show us what humanity can be at its very best. This is the spirit of the Olympic Truce: a call to set aside what divides us – and rather to focus on what unites us.
“But athletes cannot do this alone. They can only inspire the next generation if they are able to compete. In this divided world, we need to work together to keep sport and politics apart. This means athletes must be able to enter host countries and take part in competitions – not face the threat of being left back at home because they are denied a visa for politically motivated reasons.
“The final list of competitors must be decided by International Federations, not by governments. And athletes must not be judged on where they come from but rather on their sporting merits.”
● “Today, as you adopt this resolution, we are reminded that the Olympic Movement and the United Nations share the same purpose. To bring people together. To uphold human dignity. To build bridges of peace. By protecting sport as a space where everyone can come together as equals, we reinforce these shared values.
“Even in these dark times of division, it is possible to celebrate our shared humanity and inspire hope for a better future. It is about finding that the way forward is to be able to do this together: as athletes, as nations, and as a global community. This is the spirit of the Olympic Games, and it will shine brightly from Milano Cortina to the world.”
The resolution also looked ahead to the next Games, with as the U.N.:
“Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its eighty-second session the sub-item entitled ‘Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal’ of the item entitled ‘Sport for development and peace’ and to consider the sub-item before the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad and the XVIII Paralympic Games, to be held in Los Angeles in 2028.”
Observed: If you think the Olympic Truce resolution and the accompanying ceremony around it are wastes of time, consider this: Russia’s attack on Ukraine came during the Olympic Truce period between the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing and the Winter Paralympic Games, in February 2022.
That action, in violation of the Olympic Truce, created a lever pulled by the IOC that caused Russian and Belarusian athletes and teams to be sidelined from international competitions, starting in 2022 and continuing in various forms up through today.
The Olympic Truce may seem anachronistic, but it matters, even today.
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