North Korea suspended from Beijing Olympics after skipping Games in Tokyo

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has suspended North Korea from participating in the 2022 Beijing Olympics after the country skipped the summer games in Tokyo. 

In a statement on Wednesday, the IOC said that the Olympic Committee of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will have to forfeit money that was due to it.

The committee also said that any North Korean athlete who wants to compete in the winter games will have to go through a qualification process. 

IOC Press Release: IOC Executive Board suspends NOC of Democratic People’s Republic of Koreahttps://t.co/JWdHqW004S

— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) September 8, 2021

Pyongyang withdrew from competing in the delayed Tokyo games in August due to COVID-19 concerns, according to The Associated Press.

“Throughout the process, the PRK NOC was given a fair opportunity to be heard, and received very clear warnings about the consequences of its position and the fact that any violation of the Olympic Charter would ultimately expose the PRK NOC to the measures and sanctions provided in the Olympic Charter,” the IOC said in its statement.

The move comes a month after the conclusion of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which saw many participating athletes drop out of their events due to COVID-19 infections.

North Korea sent 10 athletes to the 2018 Winter Games in neighboring Pyeongchang, South Korea, and two in the 2010 games in Vancouver.