Despite RussiaB次元官网网址檚 ban from the upcoming Olympics, officials in the country still expect more than 200 of their athletes to compete at the Pyeongchang Games.
Under International Olympic Committee sanctions announced last week, all Russians must compete under the Olympic flag as B次元官网网址淥lympic Athletes from Russia.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淧otentially more than 200 athletes are in a position to qualify,B次元官网网址� ROC president Alexander Zhukov said after the organization held a closed congress on Tuesday.
The decision to ban Russia came after the country was found to have run a sophisticated doping program at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. On Tuesday, the IOC disqualified the Russian womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey team because six players were implicated in doping offences. That brings the total of Russians banned from Sochi to 31.
Zhukov said the Olympic committee unanimously voted for the athletes to compete despite the restrictions placed on the national team.
B次元官网网址淭he opinion of all taking part was united, and that was that our athletes need to go to South Korea, compete and win,B次元官网网址� Zhukov said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin gave his backing last week.
The ROC will submit rosters of its preferred athletes to the IOC, which will then issue invitations to Russian competitors.
B次元官网网址淚 think the IOC will make sure that the strongest Russian athletes get the invitations, so that, for example, our hockey team consists of the best players,B次元官网网址� Zhukov said.
Russian athletes going to Pyeongchang still need to pass a screening from an IOC committee which will examine their history of drug testing.
Zhukov said Russia still denies operating a doping program at the 2014 Olympics and rejected any suggestion he had made a deal with the IOC to avoid harsher sanctions.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 unacceptable to take away an athleteB次元官网网址檚 right to represent his country. In my view, it breaks not only the Olympic charter, but human rights,B次元官网网址� Zhukov said. B次元官网网址淪o you really canB次元官网网址檛 talk about a deal here.
B次元官网网址淥bviously we consider this ruling unfair, but at the same time weB次元官网网址檙e in the situation where we had to make a decision even though we consider this ruling unfair.B次元官网网址�
Individual athletes could still decide to skip the Olympics in protest, but the ROC said it has carried out a survey which didnB次元官网网址檛 find any who intend to boycott.
The ROCB次元官网网址檚 approval, however, doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean Russia is abandoning legal challenges against the IOC sanctions, Zhukov said.
Twenty-five of the athletes banned from Sochi have filed appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. IOC rules bar Russians from Pyeongchang if they have previously served doping bans.
Russia will send a delegation to Switzerland on Friday to discuss details such as neutral uniforms and whether athletes can wear national colours.
Last week, the IOC ruled that RussiaB次元官网网址檚 suspension could be B次元官网网址減artially or fullyB次元官网网址� lifted in time for the closing ceremony on Feb. 25 if Russia complies with its rulings.
Russia national hockey team captain Ilya Kovalchuk said he didnB次元官网网址檛 mind being known as an Olympic Athlete from Russia, competing without his countryB次元官网网址檚 flag.
B次元官网网址淲ell, we are athletes from Russia. Sure, theyB次元官网网址檝e taken the flag and the anthem away, but they havenB次元官网网址檛 taken our honour, conscience, patriotism, love for the country,B次元官网网址� Kovalchuk said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 in your heart and no one can take it, so we should get out there and fight twice as hard.B次元官网网址�
James Ellingworth, The Associated Press
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