Russia optimistic that Olympic suspension will end in ‘next few days’
Russia has said it expects to have the doping ban lifted in the “next few days” and that restoring the rights of their athletes could become a major result of the Olympic Games.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted unanimously to keep Russia’s ban for mass doping, meaning Russian athletes were not able to march behind their flag at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics closing ceremony yesterday.
But IOC said the suspension would be lifted – an IOC source said in “a few days or a few weeks” – if no further positive drug tests come out of the Games, where two Russians tested positive for doping.
“We hope and count on the recovery of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) membership in the IOC within the next few days,” the committee said. “Our absolute priority is the status of our country and the interests of our athletes.”
Restoring the rights of the ROC and the rights of “all the Russian athletes will be the major outcome” the committee’s statement read.
The vote to maintain the ban for the time being followed a recommendation from the IOC’s executive board, which met over the weekend to thrash out Russia’s fate.
The IOC “could have considered lifting the suspension given that the Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) had respected the IOC’s decision of December 5,” IOC president Thomas Bach said.
“However, two Russian athletes tested positive for doping here in Pyeongchang.”
The ROC pointed out that the IOC voted to lift its suspension after the completion of all doping tests of the samples taken during the Games.
“According to the standing order, it takes 72 hours to implement the test procedure,” the ROC statement said.
Russia was formally banned in December from taking part in the 2018 Olympics following revelations of widespread drug-cheating, but 168 athletes deemed “clean” were allowed to compete as neutrals.
They were representing “Olympic Athletes from Russia” under strict guidelines including a ban on Russia’s flag, national colours and the national anthem.
There was a winning end to the Games for OAR as the men’s ice hockey team beat Germany 4-3 in the final yesterday.