Putin said Wednesday his government will allow Russians to compete as neutral athletes at the upcoming games in South Korea. The International Olympic Committee has banned the Russian team from games as punishment for doping violations at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Putin also said Russia still did not accept accusations that it ran a state-backed doping system around the Sochi Olympics. Russian athletes, coaches and politicians have lined up to condemn the IOC ruling, but most say it’s better to accept it and compete. Russian IOC member Yelena Isinbayeva, a two-time Olympic gold medallist in the pole vault, came out against a boycott.

Source: National Post December 06, 2017 10:03 UTC