International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach gestures while speaking during the second day of the 141st IOC session in Mumbai, India, October 16, 2023. REUTERS/Niharika Kulkarni/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Russia's attempt to compare the country's Olympic Committee suspension with the situation of Israeli athletes following the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas was out of place, the International Olympic Committee said on Friday. The IOC did not ban the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) until last month after it recognised regional organisations from four territories annexed from Ukraine. The IOC said on Oct. 12 the ROC would be banned with immediate effect after it recognised Olympic Councils from the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. "Once again we see an example of the bias and failure of the International Olympic Committee, which time after time proves its political bias."

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Persons: Thomas Bach, Niharika Kulkarni, Sergei Lavrov, Lavrov, Karolos Grohmann, Gabrielle Tetrault, Farber, Ed Osmond Organizations: Olympic Committee, 141st IOC, REUTERS, Rights, International Olympic, Russian, IOC, Olympics, Olympic, Winter Games, Russian Olympic Committee, National Olympic Committee of, International Olympic Committee, Paris Olympics, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India, Israel, Ukraine, Russian, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, United States, Paris