OLYMPIC NOTES : Yugoslav Situation Coming Into Focus

The International Olympic Committee granted provisional recognition Thursday to the former Yugoslav republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina, enabling its athletes to march in the opening ceremony of the 25th Summer Olympics Saturday under their own flag.

The IOC also announced that athletes from another former Yugoslav republic, Macedonia, will be allowed to compete in the Games, although they will not have their own flag or anthem and will wear neutral uniforms.

Both Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia will send 15-member delegations to Barcelona.

A delegation including about 40 athletes will be here from Yugoslavia after the IOC formally ratified a United Nations plan Thursday that allows that country’s athletes to compete as individuals but not as members of teams.

Like the Macedonians, they will compete without their flag or anthem and will wear neutral uniforms. Neither group will participate in the opening or closing ceremonies.

The U.N. Security Council adopted sanctions against Yugoslavia, including a sports ban, in May because of the country’s military aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The IOC preferred for all Yugoslav athletes to be allowed to compete.

“I am happy,” IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch said. “Very happy? No. Happy.”

Pal Schmitt, an IOC executive board member from Hungary, called it “a half victory.”