Olympic body lifts Russia’s doping ban, fullmember status restored

LONDON:The International Olympic Committee has lifted its suspension of Russia, restoring the country to full-member status after barring it from the 2018 Winter Games for running a statebacked doping program that corrupted several global sporting events.

Russia’s flag and anthem were missing from the recent Winter Olympics, though more than 160 athletes were able to participate as neutrals called “Olympic Athletes from Russia.” Two of them accounted for half of the failed drug tests at the Games.

Russia’s reinstatement followed a decision Sunday by the IOC’s executive board, led by Thomas Bach, its president, to bring Russia back on the condition that the remaining drug tests of its athletes from the games be confirmed as negative.

SHIVA, GAURAV OUT OF INDIA’S CWG SQUAD

NEWDELHI: World medallists Gaurav Bidhuri and Shiva Thapa were the notable omissions, while the likes of MC Mary Kom and Vikas Krishan were picked in India’s boxing squad for the Commonwealth Games, selected for the first time without conventional trials. Shiva made way for national champion and India Open gold-medallist Manish Kaushik in the lightweight 60kg category. In the bantamweight (56kg), Bidhuri, has been left out for Mohammed Hussamuddin, who won a bronze medal at the recent Strandja Memorial Tournament in Bulgaria. Trials will be held for male boxers in the 91kg and 52kgs.