Georgia to Compete at Sochi 2014 after Lifting Boycott Ban

Georgian athletes will compete at Sochi 2014 after an Olympic boycott was decided against.

Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream political bloc defeated President Mikheil Saakashvili’s United National Movement, who wanted to boycott the Winter Olympics claiming Georgia would not play in ‘the country that occupies 20% of Georgia’s territory.’

Georgia’s National Olympic Committee voted unanimously in favour of participation ahead of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) deadline of May 7 for teams to confirm that they will compete.

Leri Khabelov, the Olympic Committee’s president said: “We made it based on consideration of sport and I am glad the preparations of our Olympic team have not passed by in vain.”

Moscow has troops in Georgian breakaway regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Russia recognised the regions’ independence after war in August 2008.