A release by WorldRowing on Jan 22 announced that the Serbian Rowing Federation has been suspended due to 'significant' financial debts to WorldRowing, largely incurred as the host of the 2022 World Cup and 2023 World Championships.

Serbian women's single sculler Jovana Arsic qualified Serbia for the Olympics in the event at the 2023 Worlds, and that spot in the Games will be in limbo until a final decision is made. The spot was Serbia's only qualified event from the 2023 Worlds.

Finding bid countries for large events both in and out of the rowing world has been a challenge in recent years; hopefully all parties can resolve the problem in time for the Games.

The full release follows:

The World Rowing Executive Committee, after meeting on Thursday, 14 December 2023, has decided to suspend the Serbian Rowing Federation as a member of World Rowing as of January 1st, 2024.

This decision comes over significant financial debts being owed to World Rowing and various event suppliers by the Serbian Rowing Federation and relevant Serbian authorities serving as guarantors of the 2022 World Rowing Cup I and 2023 World Rowing Championships held in Belgrade, Serbia.

As per the Bye-Laws to Article?15 of the World Rowing statutes, "Member Federations that have subscriptions in arrears or that have unresolved debts to World Rowing or to an organising committee of a World Rowing event may be suspended by the Executive Committee or expelled by Congress. In any event, no member of that federation may stand for elections, their delegates shall forfeit their voting rights, and the Executive Committee may ban or suspend the federation's teams, officials, umpires and Commission members from competitive and other World Rowing?events."

Legal proceedings against the Serbian Rowing Federation and official guarantors are also being launched.

This suspension implies:

1. Inability for the Serbian Rowing Federation to participate in the governance of the sport of Rowing in Serbia and internationally.
2. Inability for the Serbian Rowing Federation to enter athletes into World Rowing events and Olympic / Paralympic Games.
3. Inability for Serbia to host any future World Rowing events.

World Rowing has been in close communication with the Serbian Rowing Federation and various Serbian authorities for several months regarding the payment of these outstanding debts to find a possible solution.

The World Rowing Executive Committee hopes for a quick resolution of the situation. Upon settlement of the financial debts, the World Rowing Executive Committee will meet again to discuss the possible reinstatement of the Serbian Rowing Federation.