IOC bans Russia from Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics for state-sponsored doping
Russia’s deputy prime minister Vitaly Mutko also banned for life, raising questions over whether he can continue as head of organising committee for 2018 football World Cup
Russia has been banned from the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang over state-sponsored doping, but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Russian competitors would be able to compete as individuals “under strict conditions”.
The IOC announced the decision on Tuesday after examining evidence of state-sponsored doping over several years that reached a high-point at the Winter Olympics hosted in Sochi, Russia, in 2014.
The IOC also banned Russia’s deputy prime minister Vitaly Mutko for life over his involvement in the scandal – he was the Russian sports minister during the Sochi Games.
That will raise questions as to whether Mutko can continue in his role as head of the organising committee for the 2018 football World Cup, which Russia will host.
Mutko, who was also banned from the Rio 2016 Summer Games, had been implicated in the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency)-commissioned McLaren report.
