Greenland and the Faroe Islands will not be recognised as separate and independent Olympic teams despite a request from Denmark’s parliament, the IOC said on Wednesday.
The Olympic Charter has for 30 years defined a country that can have an official team as “an independent state recognised by the international community.”
Greenland and the Faroe Islands, which are semi-autonomous territories in the Kingdom of Denmark, do not meet that standard, the International Olympic Committee said in a statement.
ALSO READ: Denmark asks IOC to recognise Greenland, Faroe Islands as independent Olympic teams
“This position has been explained and communicated very clearly to the concerned parties on numerous occasions over the past years,” the IOC said.
The formal request by the Danish parliament was made two weeks ago and published on Tuesday.
It came weeks after Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen formed a new coalition government. In the election campaign, she pledged support for Greenland against U.S. President Donald Trump’s wish to acquire the island.
At the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, which President Trump is expected to formally declare open under Olympic protocol, athletes from Greenland and the Faroe Islands can compete for Denmark. It is one of 206 national Olympic bodies recognised by the IOC.
Published on Jul 01, 2026