Olympic movement reinstates Russia

Russia’s ban from the Olympic movement was lifted Wednesday despite two failed doping tests by its athletes at the Pyeongchang Games. President Vladimir Putin hailed the move during an award ceremony for Olympic athletes, saying “we must draw relevant conclusions for ourselves, but I hope that international organizations also will eventually understand that sports must be kept away from problems unrelated to it.”

The decision by the International Olympic Committee appears to be an attempt to draw a line under the stateconcocted doping scandal that tarnished the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. The IOC allowed more than 160 athletes it determined were clean in Sochi to compete as “Olympic Athletes from Russia” in Pyeongchang last month with a prohibition on the national anthem or flag in venues.

“You can take away any attributes, but you can’t take away our character, and you have proven it with your performance,” Putin said after giving state awards to Olympic athletes.

Russia’s hopes of marching under its flag at Sunday’s closing ceremony were stymied by two positive tests for banned substances, including a curler who had to forfeit his bronze medal. But the IOC said Wednesday that all remaining test results were negative, clearing the path for Russia’s return.

■ Scott Blackmun resigned as chief executive of the U.S. Olympic Committee, citing difficulties with prostate cancer and the federation’s need to address the sex abuse scandal that has rocked gymnastics.

The CEO, 60, was diagnosed with prostate cancer this winter and did not attend the PyeongChang Games. He leaves amid calls for his departure, including from two U.S. senators who said neither he nor the USOC reacted properly to sex abuse cases involving Larry Nassar, the doctor who abused members of the U.S. gymnastics team. The USOC is conducting an independent review of when Blackmun and others learned of abuse cases at USA Gymnastics and whether they responded appropriately.