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Serbia protests IOC Kosovo provisional recognition

FILE - This is a Thursday, May 24, 2011 file photo of Majlinda Kelmendi, left, as she reacts after she read the news that the ethnic Albanian Judo star has not been allowed to compete for her native Kosovo, but only for Albania in a sports hall in the Kosovo city of Pec . Kosovo could join the Olympic fold this week, while Gambia could face suspension. The status of the two countries will be discussed Friday during an International Olympic Committee executive board meeting in Montreux, Switzerland, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said Wednesday Oct 22, 2014. Kosovo, which has a majority of ethnic Albanian inhabitants, declared independence in 2008. Serbia, which considers Kosovo the cradle of its statehood and religion, has refused to accept the split. (AP Photo / Visar Kryeziu, File) FILE - This is a Thursday, May 24, 2011 file photo of Majlinda Kelmendi, left, as she reacts after she read the news that the ethnic Albanian Judo star has not been allowed to compete for her native Kosovo, but only for Albania in a sports hall in the Kosovo city of Pec . Kosovo could join the Olympic fold this week, while Gambia could face suspension. The status of the two countries will be discussed Friday during an International Olympic Committee executive board meeting in Montreux, Switzerland, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said Wednesday Oct 22, 2014. Kosovo, which has a majority of ethnic Albanian inhabitants, declared independence in 2008. Serbia, which considers Kosovo the cradle of its statehood and religion, has refused to accept the split. (AP Photo / Visar Kryeziu, File)

By Associated Press October 23, 2014 1 min read

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) – Serbia has officially protested the International Olympic Committee’s decision to grant provisional recognition to Kosovo.

The move by the IOC executive board on Wednesday clears the way for the Kosovo to send an independent team to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Full recognition will be proposed at the IOC assembly in Monaco in December.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Serbia has refused to accept the split.

Serbia’s Olympic Committee on Thursday said it “strongly condemned” the IOC decision and lodged a formal protest. It said further moves will depend on official Serbian policies toward Kosovo and recommendations by politicians.

Serbia contends that Kosovo cannot be recognized by the IOC as it is not an U.N. member.