Russian athletes during last night's Closing Ceremony marched without their national colors or flagGETTY IMAGES
Russian athletes marched in last night's Closing Ceremony "without their national colors or flag" after the IOC yesterday "upheld its suspension of Russia as a team" from the Pyeongchang Games, according to Tariq Panja of the N.Y. TIMES. The unanimous vote came after "two failed drug tests by Russian athletes" at the Games. The IOC will "consider reinstating the Russian committee if all remaining drug tests for its athletes at the Pyeongchang Games come back clean." However, IOC member Nicole Hoevertsz, the leader of the the committee's panel reviewing Russia’s compliance, said that Russia "could be reinstated within the next week." The IOC Exec Board, led by President Thomas Bach, asked the review panel to "change a part of its report late Saturday." The report was "changed to make clear the two failed drugs tests were not part of a systematic doping scheme involving the Russian Olympic Committee" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/25). Bach said, "This was the key factor, and there the information we got from this implementation group was that there were these two cases. But on the other hand, there was no indication that these two cases were due to a systematic approach or that the delegation was in any way trying to assist or to cover up but to the contrary, the OAR delegation was very proactive." USA TODAY's Rachel Axon notes the IOC’s decision comes as it has "faced criticism that it had not done enough to punish Russia for its doping system" (USA TODAY, 2/26).
THAT WAS QUICK: The AFP noted Bach denied that this year's Games has been "'tainted' by the Russian doping scandal." Russia's national Olympic Committee hailed yesterday's IOC vote and said that it "expected its suspension to be lifted 'within the next few days.'" The Russian men's ice hockey team also sang the Russian national anthem after winning Gold yesterday, "contravening guidelines over Russia's participation as neutrals" (AFP, 2/25). The IOC repeatedly said going into the Olympics that Russian athletes had been "rigorously tested," implying they were unlikely to fail drug tests. Bach said that a condition for Russia’s reinstatement was "no further positive drug tests at these Olympics" (AP, 2/25). In Utah, Amy Donaldson notes U.S. athletes were "glad the IOC voted not to let Russian athletes march into the closing ceremonies with their own flag." U.S. bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor said, "It's really a difficult situation as an athlete to know that these offenses have occurred and they've drastically affected medals and not only medals but who's able to participate in the Games" (DESERET NEWS, 2/26). Canadian Olympic Committee President Tricia Smith had said that it "would not be appropriate" for Russia to carry its flag during the Closing Cermony because of the failed tests (CP, 2/24). In an open letter to IOC members published Friday, the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organisations said that the "clean athletes of the world would be outraged" if Russia’s ban was lifted (WASHINGTON POST, 2/25).
LIGHT PUNISHMENT: USA TODAY's Nancy Armour wrote the IOC potentially reinstating Russia in the coming days shows the organization really "doesn’t give a damn about doping." Russia is "likely to be back in the IOC’s good graces" by the end of the week, and it will be "as if the doping crisis that undermined the very foundation of the Olympic movement never even happened." There are "drug cheats in every country," and there "always will be." But there is a "huge difference between a few rogue athletes and a program imagined and implemented by the state" (USA TODAY, 2/25). In L.A., Dylan Hernandez writes the IOC was in a "no-win situation." Restoring Russia's status as a participant for the '20 Tokyo Games "feels like letting a fox back into a henhouse in which he already has feasted." On the other hand, "complete or continued banishment of Russia would have punished individual athletes who had no control or say over the government-backed drug program." Compared to other athletes, the Russians were "subjected to more extensive drug screenings before and during the Games" (L.A. TIMES, 2/26). In Pittsburgh, Gene Collier wrote even though Russian curler Alexander Krushelnyski's medal was the 44th to be stripped from a Russian in the Olympics, and that 44 is "more than four times that of any other country, this level of cheating remains a global pursuit" (POST-GAZETTE.com, 2/24).
MAKING A STATEMENT: The N.Y. TIMES' Panja noted the U.S. biathlon team "will boycott the season-ending World Cup event in Russia next month" amid fears for their "personal safety and frustration at Russia’s continued failure to comply with antidoping regulations." The move marks the "latest sign of discontent among athletes over the handling of the Russian doping scandal." It follows a "similar stand made by the Canadian team." Additionally, reports have Czech Republic biathletes ready to "boycott the event," while the Swedish team was also "poised to boycott events in Russia" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/25).
