Bach Hails UN Resolution as 'Historic Milestone'

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International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach is hailing a new United Nations resolution as a "historic milestone" underscoring the relationship between politics and sports.

Bach welcomed the resolution adopted by consensus by the U.N. General Assembly that "supports the independence and autonomy of sport as well as the mission of the IOC in leading the Olympic Movement."

The resolution also states that "major international sports events should be organized in the spirit of peace, mutual understanding, friendship, tolerance and inadmissibility of discrimination of any kind."

The IOC says the resolution "clearly implies" that full participation at sports events is encouraged and boycotts are incompatible with the U.N. position.

Bach says in a statement Monday: "We highly welcome this resolution as a historic milestone in the relations between sport and politics."