Athletes glad Russia are kept out of the Olympics

Pyeongchang, Feb. 9: The Russian saga has proved highly contentious in the build- up to Pyeongchang. On Thursday, reports emerged of an altercation between a Canadian and a Russian at the athletes’ village.

“The athletes are sort of celebrating the decision in a way,” said America’s Angela Ruggiero, chair of the IOC athletes commission.

“The message we’re sending is the decision has been made and you should be satisfied that every athlete, including the Olympic Athletes from Russia, have had to clear the same high hurdle,” she added.

Fifteen of the 47 who lost their bids on Friday were among a group of 28 who controversially had life bans from the Olympics overturned last week by CAS. The other 32, including ● Fifteen of the 47 Russians who lost their bids on Friday were among a group of 28 who controversially had life bans from the Olympics overturned last week by the Court of Arbitration for Sport

three- time Games gold medallist An, were also left off the list of Russians invited to Pyeongchang.

Russia’s Olympic suspension in December followed the uncovering of a widespread doping conspiracy culminating at the Sochi 2014 Winter Games, where host nation Russia topped the medals table.

Investigations revealed an elaborate plot where tainted Russian urine samples were switched with clean ones using a “mousehole” in the wall of the Sochi anti- doping laboratory.

Russia has denied any government links to the conspiracy. But the IOC has banned the former sports minister Mutko for life.

“It’s clearly disappointing we’re still talking about this on the eve of the Winter Games,” said Hugh Robertson, chairman of the British Olympic Association.

“It’s reassuring the IOC’s decision has been upheld and we can get on with the Games and forget about doping.”

However, Jim Walden, lawyer for Russian whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov, cautioned that it was only a “small semblance of justice for clean athletes”.