RussiaB次元官网网址檚 ban from the Olympic movement was lifted on Wednesday despite two failed doping tests by its athletes at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

The decision by the International Olympic Committee appears to be an attempt to draw a line under the state-concocted doping scandal that tarnished the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

The IOC allowed more than 160 athletes it determined were clean to compete in Sochi as B次元官网网址淥lympic Athletes from RussiaB次元官网网址� in Pyeongchang earlier this month with a prohibition on the national anthem or flag in venues.

RussiaB次元官网网址檚 hopes of marching under its flag at SundayB次元官网网址檚 closing ceremony in South Korea were stymied by the two positive tests for banned substances, including a curler who had to forfeit his bronze medal. But the IOC said Wednesday that all remaining test results were negative, clearing the path for RussiaB次元官网网址檚 return to the Olympic fold.

B次元官网网址淭herefore, as stated in the executive board decision of 25th February, the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee is automatically lifted with immediate effect,B次元官网网址� the IOC said in a statement.

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Russian athletes won two gold medals in Pyeongchang, in figure skating and ice hockey, along with six silver medals and nine bronze.

B次元官网网址淚 would like to thank our athletes who were able to perform well even despite the provocations,B次元官网网址� Russian Olympic Committee President Alexander Zhukov said in quotes carried by the TASS news agency. B次元官网网址淚 thank the fans who did not cross the line and what could result in sanctions. TodayB次元官网网址檚 IOCB次元官网网址檚 decision is very important for us. The ROC is an absolutely full-fledged member of the Olympic family.B次元官网网址�

Russia also complied with its financial sanctions last week by paying $15 million to pay for the IOCB次元官网网址檚 two investigations into the scheme and toward future anti-doping work.

Vitaly Smirnov, the head of an anti-doping commission set up by Russian President Vladimir Putin, did acknowledge on Wednesday that B次元官网网址渨e have a long way to go to get rid of the mistakes, which we made in the past.B次元官网网址�

But Russia continues to deny there was state involvement in the plot, which included urine samples in supposedly tamper-proof bottles at the 2014 Olympics being swapped out for clean samples through a B次元官网网址渕ouse holeB次元官网网址� in the wall at a laboratory in Sochi.

The IOC decision to reinstate Russia has no bearing on the International Paralympic CommitteeB次元官网网址檚 earlier ruling to maintain the countryB次元官网网址檚 ban. The only Russians at the March 8-18 Pyeongchang Games will be known as B次元官网网址淣eutral Paralympic Athletes,B次元官网网址� mirroring the IOCB次元官网网址檚 compromise.

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Rob Harris, The Associated Press

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