- Title: IOC focused on North Korean athlete participation at 2018 games
- Date: 10th July 2017
- Summary: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (JULY 10, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF LAUSANNE PALACE HOTEL, WHERE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) MEETING IS TAKING PLACE IOC SPOKESMAN MARK ADAMS AND OLYMPIC GAMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHE DUBI ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE SPOKESMAN, MARK ADAMS, SAYING: "Yes, I mean on that. There has been no discussion today at the executive board about that. You have seen, I hope, the declaration that was made after the meeting between President Bach and President Moon in Seoul, I think it was on Monday this week. So little has changed from our side on that one, apart from just to underline what is important for the IOC and for the games is the participation and we are working very hard of athletes from North Korea. Solidarity is working on identifying the athletes who could take part and we will do our best to make sure there is a participation of athletes from North Korea. There is not much to add." ADAMS AND DUBI DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC GAMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CHRISTOPHE DUBI, TALKING ABOUT ACCOMODATION AT PYEONGCHANG 2018, SAYING: "But we have found now very good solutions for all constituent groups. Nevertheless, we rely on 11 hotels, still 11 hotels to be delivered so there will be very close monitoring to make sure they are delivered. If that is the case, then obviously we are in a situation then everybody has what they need. We can then deliver our promises both for the rights we owe to some of the partners but also to make sure that all the operators will be as close as possible to the venues - this is the media, the technical officials from the federations, the same with the NOCs (National Olympic Committee). So it is a tight situation but at the same time we have everything that we need at this point in time, which is reassuring." NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY NEWS CONFERENCE ENDING
- Embargoed: 24th July 2017 13:25
- Keywords: accomodation North Korea Mark Adams South Korea Olympics Pyeongchang 2018 Christophe Dubi IOC hotels
- Location: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND
- City: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: Olympics,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016P4X933
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is solely focussing on the participation of North Korean athletes at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics in neighbouring South Korea.
Speaking at the IOC meeting in Lausanne on Monday (July 10), spokesman Mark Adams re-affirmed his organization's desire for North Korea athletes to compete in February's games.
"Just to underline what is important for the IOC and for the games is the participation and we are working very hard of athletes from North Korea," said Adams, who refused to be drawn further on the security issues surrounding the games.
"Solidarity is working on identifying the athletes who could take part and we will do our best to make sure there is a participation of athletes from North Korea.
Amid increasing political tension on the peninsula, there has been talk of a joint Korean team competing in certain 2018 events.
However, North Korean sports officials believe it is too late to consider South Korean President Moon Jae-in's proposal to form a unified team.
They have also ruled out the possibility of using venues in the North to co-host the Feb. 9-25 Winter Games.
International Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi was quizzed about the state of accommodation in Pyeongchang ahead of the games.
He confirmed that the IOC are still waiting on 11 hotels to be completed and are looking at other options, should the organizing committee fail to deliver on promised accommodation. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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