IOC weighs Russia ban for 2018 Olympics

Russia could be banned from competing at the Pyeong Chang Olympics, a prospect that President Vladimir Putin has already warned would be humiliating for his country.

The decision will come on Tuesday when the International Olympic Committee executive board meets in Lausanne, less than nine weeks before the Games open on Feb. 9 in South Korea.

The 14-member board, which includes two Americans, has received a so-far confidential report from an IOC-appointed panel. That panel was asked to assess if Russian state agencies organized the doping program used at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

The decision might not be the last word, however. Russia can challenge any IOC sanction by appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Here is a look at the possible punishments:

A total ban on Russia competing ■ in Pyeong Chang.

Some Russian athletes compete, ■ if judged to be clean under longterm doping controls operating to international standards. They would be classed as neutral athletes competing under the Olympic flag, and would be denied hearing the Russian anthem if they win Olympic gold. Those rules were imposed on Russian athletes at the athletics world championships in August.

Ask the seven governing bodies ■ for the Winter Olympic sports to decide on individual athlete eligibility. That compromise applied to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.

Impose a fine on the Russian ■

Olympic committee. Tens of millions of dollars could go toward anti-doping work worldwide.

Putin has said either of the first two outcomes would be humiliating, and could provoke a Russian boycott.