The Dutch authorities have refused to allow North Korea to participate in the 14th World Military Women’s Football Championship, the DPRK said on Monday.
“Recently, an unusual situation occurred in which the Dutch government refused to issue entry visas to our team, which was scheduled to participate in the 14th World Military Women’s Football Championship, without any justifiable reason,” the DPRK Football Association said through a spokesperson on the 29th, adding that it “strongly condemns” it.
“This is a very severe act that contradicts the fundamental principles of the Olympic Movement, which are to eradicate discrimination in sports and allow athletes from all countries and regions to participate in international sports events on an equal basis, and the motto of the International Military Sports Council, which is ‘Goodwill through sports’,” the DPRK Football Association said.먹튀검증
“We strongly condemn the Netherlands’ generous measures, which unfairly prevent our athletes from participating in international competitions, as an act of political hostility,” the association said, stressing that the politicisation of sport cannot be justified on any grounds.
The association urged the International Military Sports Council to “seriously reflect on the gravity of the unusual situation that has arisen and to address the actions that are being deployed against the healthy development, independence and depoliticisation of physical education.”
The association said it “does not feel the need to participate in the 14th World Armed Forces Women’s Football Championship” as a result of the incident and “will therefore not be sending a team.”
The World Military Women’s Football Championship is scheduled to be held in the Netherlands from 27 July to 9 July next month.
North Korea has refused to participate in international sporting events since 2020, citing the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), but has recently made direct and indirect indications of its intention to participate in various international competitions.
North Korea is expected to send athletes to the first edition of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Grand Prix in Cuba early next month and the Asian Games (AG) in Hangzhou, China, in September.