The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has suspended the Guatemala Olympic Committee amid a domestic legal dispute.
The suspension means that the National Olympic Committee of Guatemala (NOC) is no longer entitled to operate as an NOC and will not receive any funding from the Olympic Movement until the suspension is lifted.
Athletes from Guatemala will also be unable to represent the country by name or flag in upcoming international multi-sport competition, including the upcoming Pan American Games in Chile next year and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, until the matter is resolved.
“In the interest of the athletes and the Olympic Movement in Guatemala, the IOC has urged the NOC and the relevant authorities in Guatemala to meet and find an acceptable solution in line with the IOC Executive Board decision of 8 September 2022, which would allow the IOC Executive Board to lift the suspension of the NOC as soon as possible,” the IOC said Sunday in a press release.
At the heart of the dispute is who leads the federation. Gerardo Aquirre is recognized by the IOC as the winner of the election earlier this year to lead the Olympic Committee, but the Electoral Court of Federated Sports recognizes Jorge Alexander Rodas as the winner.
Rodas brought his dispute to the country’s supreme court, which not only suspended the election results, but also provisionally suspended several statutes of the NOC.
Guatemala was represented by 24 athletes in 10 sports at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, earning no medals. Guatemala, which first competed at the Olympics in 1952, has one silver medal in its history. Erick Barrondo finished 2nd in the men’s 20km racewalk at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
They sent two swimmers to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Gabriel Santis finished 27th in the women’s 200 free (2:07.24), and Luis Martinez finished 7th in the 100 fly (51.09) to become the country’s first-ever Olympic swimming finalist. He announced his retirement this summer.
In a Facebook post on Monday, the Guatemalan Olympic Committee posted a statement in opposition to the suspension. “Not only athletes, coaches, staff are harmed by this situation, but all Guatemalans,” the organization said.
“This is not just a sport issue, it is a country issue, which brings with it irreparable damage.”
Aquirre, the IOC recognized president, said that the suspension “may lead to a setback of no less than 10 years.”
Guatemala is one of two national Olympic committees currently suspended by the IOC: North Korea is officially suspended through the end of 2022, at least, after withdrawing from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.