THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE just suspended the Russian Olympic Committee for the 2014 doping scandal in Sochi. They did leave the door open for Russian athletes to compete as neutrals. Putin has called it “humiliating” for athletes to compete without the national FLAG OR ANTHEM so it’s not looking good for any Russian athletes to compete as “neutral” athletes. We doubt any of the athletes will defy Putin. This is a blow politically to the Russian leader because it will be one month before the election there.
Countries that have been banned from the Olympics are: Austria, Bulgaria, Turkey, Hungary, Germany, Japan (over war), South Africa (apartheid), Zimbabwe (illegal regime), Afghanistan (Taliban treatment of women). And now Russia for doping.
RUSSIA OUT!
The Russian Olympic Committee was suspended on Tuesday from the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea over the 2014 Sochi doping scandal. Russia’s Minister of Sports Vitaly Mutko and his then-Deputy Minister Yuri Nagornykh are banned from all future participation at Olympic Games.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Russian athletes will be able to compete in the Olympics as neutrals.
The IOC, which also suspended the Russian Olympic committee and IOC member Alexander Zhukov, said some competitors will be invited to participate as an “Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR)” without their national flag or anthem.
Russia could refuse the offer and boycott the games.
The IOC also banned Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko for life from the Olympics for his role in the country’s doping program.
Mutko, who was sports minister at the time of the 2014 Sochi Olympics, remained head of the 2018 World Cup organizing committee.
IOC commission chairman Samuel Schmid says the doping program “was under the authority of the Russian sports ministry. That is why the then sports minister has responsibility for the failure of this system.”
Mutko appeared at the Kremlin last week alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino. There was no immediate comment from FIFA on Mukto’s continuing role as head of the Russian soccer federation and the World Cup organizing committee.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously said it would be humiliating for Russia to compete without national symbols. The IOC also imposed a fine of $15 million on the Russia Olympic committee.
Via: Fox news
