Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday that allegations of Russian athletes doping during the 2014 Sochi Olympics were "political manipulations" in a "new anti-Russian campaign," according to Nikolskaya & Ostroukh of REUTERS. Medvedev: "That (Sochi Olympics) was a brilliant victory and no foreign forces can make us believe the opposite. ... This angle has become a cornerstone of the political campaign against Russia" The IOC is retesting all Russian athletes' samples from the event (REUTERS, 11/30).
'HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT': In London, Kelner & Ingle reported Russian Deputy PM Vitaly Mutko said of diary entries by doping whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov, "Of course that's a huge disappointment that we have to pay so much attention to such problems in the context of Russia. The same situation happened with the Olympic Games in Sochi. Now it's happening again right before the World Cup" (GUARDIAN, 11/29).
'CRITICAL DECISION': REUTERS' Brian Homewood reported allowing Russia to compete at the 2018 Winter Games would be "a missed opportunity" which would "raise doubts about sport's willingness to root out drug cheats," Institute of National Anti-Doping Organisations CEO Joseph de Pencier said. De Pencier: "If they don't exclude the Russian Olympic Committee, then I think it's a huge mistake and a wasted opportunity. It's obviously a critical decision for the IOC. If the IOC get this wrong, they set back the work of all of us." He added that he could accept an arrangement where Russian athletes competed as neutrals as "something we can live with" but personally preferred a blanket ban, "even if it meant innocent athletes suffered the consequences" (REUTERS, 11/30).
SPECIAL VISA: YONHAP reported South Korea's justice ministry said Thursday that it "will allow a special no-visa entry for Chinese who plan to visit the country around the time of next year's PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games." Anyone from the neighboring country "who fits the required criteria" will be eligible for a 15-day stay in South Korea without a visa from Friday through the end of March, the ministry said in a statement (YONHAP, 11/30).
