Majlinda Kelmendi carries the flag of Kosovo at Rio 2016
A major step for Kosovo today at the IOC congress held in Monaco. Today the IOC announced that a Kosovo team will compete at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio after the nation gained full membership of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, although Serbia does not recognise Kosovo as a state.
The Serbian Olympic committee protested when Kosovo was granted provisional IOC recognition in October.
Kosovo was confirmed as the 205th national Olympic committee at the IOC session in Monte Carlo.
It is recognised as a country by 108 of the 193 United Nations member states and is a full member of six Olympic sports federations: judo, table tennis, archery, sailing, weightlifting and modern pentathlon.
The IOC began reviewing the Kosovo case five years ago but the request to field a team at London 2012 was rejected.
Majlinda Kelmendi was the only athlete from Kosovo to compete in London, where she represented Albania in judo and even IJF in the recent World Championships in Chelyabinsk (RUS). Now the IJF and EJU will not have any obligations to have Kosovo fighters participate under their own flag.
Kosova is still not recognised a EJU member, while at most IJF events, World Ranking leader and World Champion Kelmendi has the Kosovo backnumber. "Congratulations Kosovo and all athletes," said Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. "Our flag will wave at the Olympic Games in Rio and will be held by Majlinda."
MEDAL OVERVIEW majlinda kelmendi
COMPETITIONS | G | S | B |
World Championships | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Continental Championships | 1 | 0 | 1 |
IJF World Tour: Masters/Grand Slam/Grand Prix | 10 | 2 | 1 |
World Cups/Continental Open | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Continental Championships U23 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
World Championships Juniors | 1 | 0 | 0 |

WORLD RANKING LIST MEN
- -60kg
- -66kg
- -73kg
- -81kg
- -90kg
- -100kg
- +100kg
- NOC
- SURNAME, Name
- POINTS
-
1.
RUS
Mshvidobadze, Robert 6295
-
2.
JPN
Takato, Naohisa 5900
-
3.
GEO
Papinashvili, Amiran 5551
-
4.
JPN
Nagayama, Ryuju 5510
-
5.
KAZ
Smetov, Yeldos 4821
-
6.
MGL
Dashdavaa, Amartuvshin 4253
-
7.
UZB
Lutfillaev, Sharafuddin 3752
-
8.
ESP
Garrigós, Francisco 3594
-
9.
GEO
Chkhvimiani, Lukhumi 3505
-
10.
BRA
Takabatake, Eric 3340

WORLD RANKING LIST WOMEN
- -48
- -52kg
- -57kg
- -63kg
- -70kg
- -78kg
- +78kg
- NOC
- SURNAME, Name
- POINTS
-
1.
FRA
Agbegnenou, Clarisse 8150
-
2.
SLO
Trstenjak, Tina 6090
-
3.
JPN
Tashiro, Miku 6050
-
4.
JPN
Nabekura, Nami 5020
-
5.
NED
Franssen, Juul 4953
-
6.
SLO
Leski, Andreja 4505
-
7.
GER
Trajdos, Martyna 4483
-
8.
NED
Vermeer, Sanne 3632
-
9.
CAN
Beauchemin-Pinard, Catherine 3631
-
10.
CUB
Del Toro Carvajal, Maylin 3460