PARIS, March 20. /TASS/. The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) must follow the rules of the Olympic movement for its membership in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to be restored, IOC President Thomas Bach said.

"That’s very clear: everybody who’s following the rules is welcome in the Olympic movement. So, the moment the ROC is following the rules, they are welcome. And the ball is in their court at this moment. It is our mission in the Olympic movement and according to the Olympic Charter to have all the national Olympic committees following the Olympic Charter and following the rules, and, again, it’s in their hands," Bach said.

On October 12, 2023, the IOC suspended the ROC until further notice because of the inclusion of DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions’ Olympic councils into the Russian national committee. The suspension implies that the ROC will not be able to function as the national Olympic committee and receive funding from the Olympic movement.