Russian athletes being allowed to compete internationally in bobsleigh and skeleton despite their Olympic ban is "a joke," former Great Britain bobsleigher John Jackson said, according to Matt Davis of the BBC. Dozens of Russians were banned for life by the IOC. However, athletes from the country are still competing at skeleton and bobsleigh events where Olympic qualification is at stake while the Int'l Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation has been doing what Jackson describes as "arguing against itself" in court over the matter. Jackson said, "A circus is a good clean way of putting it, an absolute joke. ... Winter sports are not putting up a strong enough fight for clean athletes, they are letting politics away from the sport take over, it is a complete mess" (BBC, 1/8).
BANS CONTINUE: REUTERS' Josephine Mason reported China banned speed skater Xiaoxuan Shi from the national team for two years after failing a drug test, removing her from its squad for next month's PyeongChang Olympics, the China Skating Association said. Shi tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol on Dec. 14, the governing body said in a release posted on China's General Administration of Sports (REUTERS, 1/8).
