WADA backs IOC decision on Russian Olympic Committee’s status

Moscow, Feb 26: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) agrees with the decision of the International Olympic Committees Executive Board on the status of the Russian Olympic Committee, WADA said in a statement.

The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee decided on Sunday not to reinstate the membership of the ROC by the Closing Ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, reports Tass news agency.  

The IOC Executive Board said the suspension of the ROC would be considered again once the Doping Free Sports Unit (DFSU) confirmed that no additional Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) were committed by members of the Olympic Athletes from Russia delegation.

Two Russian athletes, curler Alexander Krushelnitsky and bobsledder Nadezhda Sergeyeva, were earlier accused of violating anti-doping rules at the PyeongChang Games. 

Later, the Olympic Athletes of Russia Implementation Review Panel head, Nicole Hoevertsz, told Tass the IOC may make its decision on reinstating the membership of the Russian Olympic Committee in early March.

"The World Anti-Doping Agency acknowledges the International Olympic Committee's (IOC's) decision today not to lift the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee for the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018," the statement said.

"WADA notes that subject to the continued compliance with the IOC Executive Board decision of December 5 2017, the suspension of the ROC is considered to be lifted once the Doping Free Sport Unit of the Global Association of International Sports Federations has confirmed that there are no additional Anti-Doping Rule Violations by members of the Olympic Athletes from Russia delegation."

On December 5, 2017, the IOC suspended the Russian Olympic Committee over alleged violations of anti-doping rules, particularly during the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games. 

Russia's team was banned from participating in the 2018 Olympic Games in South Korea. At the same time, the IOC allowed clean Russian athletes to participate in the Games as "Olympic Athletes of Russia."