Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 08-02-2018

Organisers of the Winter Olympics say North Korean and Iranian athletes at the sporting event will not receive high-end smartphones being handed out to their fellow competitors because of UN sanctions.

Games sponsor Samsung Electronics has donated 4,000 “Olympic edition” handsets of its flagship Galaxy Note 8 device to be distributed among athletes and IOC officials free of charge.

But a Pyeongchang organising committee spokeswoman told AFP, North Korean and Iranian athletes will be excluded because of existing UN sanctions” against the two countries.

The devices retail for around 1,000,000 South Korean won (R10,900) and so could fall foul of measures banning supplies of luxury goods.

Twitter: @FaizelPatel143