North and South Korea eye joint march, teams for Tokyo Olympics

LAUSANNE: The two Koreas are preparing to field unified teams for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in basketball, judo, field hockey and rowing, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Friday. The IOC are insisting the joint teams take part in Olympic qualifying stages with the participation of the various international federations.

The move was revealed after the two sports ministers and the Olympic representatives of North and South Korea met Olympic supremo Thomas Bach at IOC headquarters here.

In all, a women’s basketball team, a women’s field hockey team, a mixed judo team in four weight categories and for the men in three rowing events, the coxless fours, the quadruple sculls and the team of eight. “We believe this a great example of the Olympic spirit,” said Bach.

In a separate press release, the IOC said: “These unified Korea teams will have to qualify for the Olympics.” The initiative will have to be ratified at the next IOC executive commission here March 26-28.

The move comes after the two Koreas marched under a joint flag at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games.

‘REMEDY’ ANTI-DOPING

The IOC received commitments from North Korea that it will work to “remedy” its anti-doping controls that led to the country’s testing agency being suspended this week. Bach hosted Korean officials one day after the World Anti-Doping Agency announced North Korea’s testing programme was non-compliant for failing to meet international standards, raising questions about how its athletes are tested.

Doping control tests in North Korea will now be supervised by China’s anti-doping agency at North Korea’s expense.