Bach reveals talks underway over age cap at Olympics

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has revealed that talks are underway over the possibility of imposing an age limit on athletes competing on the Olympic stage.

Bach has confirmed that the IOC Executive Board has started to discuss the matter in response to the doping scandal involving 15-year-old figure skater Kamila Valieva of the Russian Olympic Committee at the Winter Olympics here that has caused global media attention.

The German official stressed that the International Federation would be responsible for putting an age cap in place but admitted he wanted to give them "food for thought" by raising the issue of young athletes participating under such intense focus.

"There are issues to be addressed," said Bach during today’s press briefing at Beijing 2022. "This concerns the issues of minors in senior competition. We have already started in the IOC Executive Board to think about, but this needs careful deliration and consultation on two fronts."

"One is with regards to WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency), to see whether there is the need to adapt the rules. The other stakeholders are the International Federations over whether the establishment of minimum age of participation is an appropriate measure. This is for the International Federations, but we will initiate such consideration and give them food for thought," Bach added.