Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18
Wednesday 6 december 2017

IOC: Russians

can compete at

Olympics, but

without flag

By GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer
LAUSANNE, Switzerland
(AP) — Russian athletes
will be allowed to stand on
the medal podium at the
Winter Olympics — just not
with their anthem playing
or their nation’s flag rising
above them.
The International Olympic
Committee barred Russia
and the its sports leaders
from the upcoming games FLAG
in South Korea after its lead
investigator concluded
members of the Russian
government concocted
a doping scheme at the
2014 Sochi Games that
“caused unprecedented FOOTBALL
damage to Olympism and
to sports.”
Not welcome in Py-
eongchang next year will
be any sign of the Russian
Olympic Committee or
any member of its sports
ministry, which was respon-
sible for what investigators
concluded was a top-to-
bottom scheme of “ma-
nipulation and cheating”
to ensure Russians could
dope at the Olympics on Steelers execute comeback
their home turf and not get
caught.
The IOC punishment did to beat Bengals yet again
leave room for many Rus-
sians to compete under
the name “Olympic Ath-
lete from Russia” or OAR.
They would have to pass
drug tests to prove they
were clean and also did
not benefit from the Sochi
scheme.
If they win, the Olympic flag
would be raised and the
Olympic anthem played to
honor their victories. That is,
if Russian President Vladimir Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (27) breaks
Putin allows them to go to up a pass to Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant
the Feb. 9-25 games. He
previously has said it would (10) in the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 4,
be humiliating for Russia to 2017, in Cincinnati.
compete without its na- Associated Press
tional symbols. Page 20

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