The ROC flag flies behind the Olympic rings during the parade of athletes. Photo: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images
The International Olympic Committee "strongly condemned" Russia on Thursday for violating the Olympic Truce when it attacked Ukraine.
Driving the news: The truce, a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly last year, began seven days before the start of the Beijing Olympics and ends seven days after the closing of the Paralympic Games, which are slated to take place March 4-13.
- The truce “calls upon all Member States to cooperate with the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee in their efforts to use sport as a tool to promote peace, dialogue and reconciliation in areas of conflict during and beyond the period of the Olympic and Paralympic Games," according to the IOC.
What they're saying: "The International Olympic Committee (IOC) strongly condemns the breach of the Olympic Truce by the Russian government," the committee said.
- "Following recent events, the IOC is deeply concerned about the safety of the Olympic Community in Ukraine," it added.
- "It has established a task force to closely monitor the situation and to coordinate humanitarian assistance to members of the Olympic Community in Ukraine where possible."
Go deeper: The latest on the Russia-Ukraine crisis