The Lausanne meeting ​comes days after Switzerland’s government formally backed a bid to host the Olympic and ⁠Paralympic Winter Games in 2038. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

A senior International Olympic Committee ⁠official said on Thursday that Olympic Charter changes aimed at reinforcing sport’s political neutrality were vital for maintaining IOC ‌independence in what he called an increasingly complicated world.

The IOC approved amendments ‌on Wednesday strengthening language emphasising that sport ‌should ⁠be free from political interference. Critics say ⁠the reforms could ease Russia’s return to international sport.

“It is more necessary than ever that the charter give us ​the power to maintain ‌our independence. We have to keep the independence, it’s more difficult every day.

It’s more complicated.
We are subject to more pressures. The world ‌is getting more and more complicated,” Vice-President ​Juan Antonio Samaranch told reporters on the sidelines of the two-day extraordinary meeting ⁠in Lausanne.

ALSO READ: IOC accepts charter changes on sports neutrality and Olympic programme

“We need to arm ourselves and protect ourselves through the charter, to be able to take ‌the right decisions,” he added. Samaranch said IOC changes to its sports programme which would evaluate Olympic inclusion by discipline rather than by sport were fair.

“Small sports are going to have their fair chance of competing fairly with bigger ‌sports,” he said.

The Lausanne meeting ​comes days after Switzerland’s government formally backed a bid to host the Olympic and ⁠Paralympic Winter Games in 2038. The country has not ⁠hosted the Games since 1948.

Samaranch said a decision was expected soon, without giving specifics.

“We ‌love the country, we are here. It’s our home, and we would like to see ​that go through,” he said.

Published on Jun 25, 2026