The IOC reaffirms that athletes' participation in international competition should not be limited by the actions of their governments, including involvement in a war or conflict. The IOC also cites the successful participation of Belarusian athletes as "Individual Neutral Athletes" in recent events and the upcoming qualification period for the 2028 Olympic Games as reasons for their decision to reverse their prior recommendation.
"I launched fireworks at my house once. I bought them for some American holiday: the day of something or other. We gathered the kids, and everything went flying. I took the boxes and threw them in the trash bins so as not to ruin the pavement."
Kirk has expressed his desire to explore other opportunities within the National Hockey League, and we respect and support his decision. We thank Kirk for his dedication, professionalism, and the many contributions he made during his three years with our organization.
