MONACO - Kosovo has been granted full International Olympic Committee (IOC) membership, the IOC decided in its session held Tuesday in Monaco.

This paves the way for Kosovo to participate in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the IOC said

The IOC started reviewing Kosovo's bid for IOC membership five years ago, a year after the southern province of Serbia unilaterally declared independence in 2008.

Kosovo is recognized as a country by 108 UN Member States, but not by Serbia.