Russian athletes will be able to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics under a neutral flag. The South Korean organisers of the games said Wednesday they would welcome the Russian athletes after Moscow was banned from the Games over its state-orchestrated doping programme. "We accept and respect the decisions of the IOC Executive Board that Russia may compete under a neutral flag," the Pyeongchang organising committee said in a statement. The International Olympic Committee Tuesday banned Russia from the 2018 Winter Games in the toughest sanctions ever levelled by the IOC for drug cheating. Also read IOC bans Russia from 2018 Winter Olympics over systematic doping, clean athletes can play under neutral flagRather than a blanket ban, the IOC chose a more moderate path which offers some Russian athletes a route to compete in the Games.

Source: dna December 06, 2017 14:52 UTC