Int'l Skating Union Letting IOC Decide On Russian Participation At 2018 Games

The top int'l skating official on Sunday "kept mum on Russia's participation in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, with the country still under investigation for state-sponsored doping," according to YONHAP. Int'l Skating Union President Jan Dijkema said that the decision will be up to the IOC. Last month, U.S. Figure Skating President Sam Auxier said that Russia should not be "allowed to compete at the PyeongChang Olympics." Dijkema, "on the other hand, took a wait-and-see approach on the doping scandal." He said, "We have the IOC investigation at this moment and we're waiting for the results. If the skaters are involved (in doping), then of course, the ISU is involved; but not regarding the participation itself of the Games. The decision is up to the IOC." No Russian skaters have been suspended for doping, but Russian athletes in other sports have been sanctioned (YONHAP, 2/12).