Nearly four years removed from hosting its own Olympics in Sochi, Russia received news that the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, would be completely devoid of its presence. For reported violations during the 2014 Sochi Olympics, athletes and officials have been barred from competition at the international event set to kick off February 2018, according to the New York Times. The International Olympic Committee decided on the move after carefully considering its own investigation into allegations that Russia manipulated urine samples at the Sochi Olympics. The Times explains these athletes may still be granted permission to compete in a neutral uniform. ESPN’s report explains those meeting rigorous criteria will compete under the banner “Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR).”The fallout comes after the I.O.C.

Source: Forbes December 05, 2017 20:26 UTC