In order to compete, Russian athletes will have to prove they did not take part in doping practices, and compete under a neutral flag. The IOC announcement on Tuesday evening was met by a wave of righteous anger, as Russian officials and public figures decried it as “war”, “racism” and “genocide”. Zakharova lumped in the Olympics ban with “world war, the collapse of the Soviet Union and sanctions” as ills the west had supposedly imposed on Russia. Opinions are divided on whether Russian athletes should agree to take part as neutral competitors or whether the country should boycott the Games. The 2014 Olympics in Sochi were presented by the Russian authorities as a sign that modern Russia had become a globally important country.

Source: The Guardian December 06, 2017 11:20 UTC