North Korea barred from competing at 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics

IOC says suspension is punishment for North Korea refusing to send team to Tokyo Games over Covid fears

North Korea has been formally suspended from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics by the IOC as punishment for refusing to send a team to the Tokyo Games, citing the Covid-19 pandemic.

The International Olympic Committee president, Thomas Bach, said the North Korean national Olympic body would also now forfeit money it was due from previous Olympics. The unspecified amount - potentially millions of dollars - had been withheld because of international sanctions.