Especially as, with his very next breath, he also promised that the Russian Olympic Committee’s suspension would be lifted very soon if there were no more positive tests. “I don’t think, quite frankly, that the Olympics have been tainted by the Russian affair because we had no Russian team here,” he replied, brushing the issue that has bookended these Games aside. It meant the 37-year-old clinched a record eighth gold medal, and Norway had pipped Germany, who also had 14 golds. On the final day of competition, the Olympic Athletes from Russia won their second gold of the Games, in the men’s ice hockey. Yet these Games were a success, which is something you couldn’t have been sure about barely a fortnight ago.

Source: The Guardian February 25, 2018 19:55 UTC