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Russia has been reinstated in the Olympic Games after doping ban, IOC confirms

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In this file photo taken on February 13, 2010, The Russian delegation tours the Vancouver Winter Olympics stadium. File photo: AFP

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed on Wednesday that it had reinstated Russia after the remaining tests of the country’s athletes at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics were all returned negative.

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Russians competed as neutrals at the games after the IOC suspended the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) in December, saying it had found evidence of an “unprecedented systematic manipulation” of the anti-doping system.

On Sunday, the IOC announced that Russia, which has repeatedly denied any state involvement in doping, would be automatically readmitted so long as there were no more doping violations.

A view through a fence shows the Russian Olympic Committee headquarters in Moscow. File photo: Reuters
A view through a fence shows the Russian Olympic Committee headquarters in Moscow. File photo: Reuters
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“The final notification of all remaining test results from the Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR) delegation has been received,” said the IOC in a statement on Wednesday. “The IOC can confirm that all the remaining results are negative.

“Therefore, as stated in the Executive Board decision of February 25, the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee is automatically lifted with immediate effect.”

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