The IOC revealed it "already commenced a targeted pre-competition testing program" for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, "months earlier than usual and with a focus on Russian athletes," according to Nicole Jeffery of THE AUSTRALIAN. The IOC is still awaiting reports from two commissions investigating the McLaren Report's revelations of systemic Russian doping but is "under pressure from some of its stakeholders to show that it is taking action on Russia." IOC President Thomas Bach said that the pre-competition testing for the PyeongChang Games was "already under way with a special focus on high-risk sports and nationalities." The IOC revealed it put together a "pre-Games anti-doping taskforce." The taskforce completed a doping risk assessment "with particular emphasis on Russian athletes" in August and sent recommendations to int'l sports federations and anti-doping organizations last month. The IOC also ordered the reanalysis of all 254 urine samples collected from Russian athletes at the Sochi Olympics, while former Switzerland President Samuel Schmid completes his inquiry into the McLaren claims that Russian anti-doping officials "employed a urine-swapping system to protect their athletes in Sochi." The intensive testing of Russian athletes before PyeongChang "may allow the IOC to clear individual athletes to compete even if their Olympic committee is suspended" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 10/11).
SPC PARTNERS WITH TOYOTA: The Swedish Paralympic Committee announced a partnership with Toyota to promote Para sport through '25. The sponsorship deal kicked off with the World Para Ice Hockey Winter Games Qualification Tournament in Östersund, in which Sweden is currently competing. The initiative is designed to improve Sweden's ability to compete in int'l Para sport events, including the Paralympic Games (SPC).
