Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Thursday 1 March 2018
Russia reinstated into Olympic movement after doping scandal

By ROB HARRIS and VLADI- us all a sense of pride.” that all remaining test re- for our Mortheland,” figure dent Alexander Zhukov
MIR ISACHENKOV He referred to members sults were negative, clear- skater Yevgenia Medvede- said in televised remarks.
Associated Press of the Russian ice hockey ing the path for Russia’s re- va who won Olympic silver, “I thank the fans who did
MOSCOW (AP) — Rus- team performing the na- turn to the Olympic fold. said at the Kremlin award not cross the line and what
sia’s ban from the Olym- tional anthem after receiv- “Therefore, as stated in ceremony. could result in sanctions. To-
pic movement was lifted day’s IOC’s decision is very
on Wednesday despite important for us. The ROC is
two failed doping tests an absolutely full-fledged
by its athletes at the Py- member of the Olympic
eongchang winter games. family.”
President Vladimir Putin Russia also complied with
hailed the move during a financial sanctions by pay-
Kremlin award ceremony ing $15 million for the IOC’s
for Olympic athletes, saying two investigations into the
“we must turn this page.” scheme and toward future
“We must draw relevant anti-doping work.
conclusions for ourselves, Vitaly Smirnov, the head
but I hope that interna- of an anti-doping commis-
tional organizations also will sion set up by Russian Presi-
eventually understand that dent Vladimir Putin, did ac-
sports must be kept away knowledge on Wednesday
from problems unrelated to that “we have a long way
it,” he added. to go to get rid of the mis-
The decision by the Interna- takes, which we made in
tional Olympic Committee the past.”
appears to be an attempt But Russia continues to deny
to draw a line under the there was state involve-
state-concocted doping ment in the plot, which
scandal that tarnished the In this Friday, Feb. 9, 2018 file photo, athletes from Russia wave during the opening ceremony of included urine samples in
2014 Olympics in Sochi. the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. supposedly tamper-proof
The IOC allowed more Associated Press bottles at the 2014 Olym-
than 160 athletes it deter- pics being swapped out for
mined were clean to com- ing the Olympic gold, say- the executive board deci- “We defended the coun- clean samples through a
pete in Sochi as “Olympic ing he would like to thank sion of 25th February, the try’s honor thanks to “mouse hole” in the wall at
Athletes from Russia” in them for their patriotism. suspension of the Russian the Russian character,” a laboratory in Sochi.
Pyeongchang earlier this “Millions of people are hap- Olympic Committee is au- echoed Pavel Datsyuk, The IOC decision to rein-
month with a prohibition on py for your victories along tomatically lifted with im- the captain of the Russian state Russia has no bearing
the national anthem or flag with you!” he said. mediate effect,” the IOC ice hockey team. “Thank on the International Para-
in venues. Russia’s hopes of march- said in a statement. you for your support and a lympic Committee’s earlier
“You can take away any ing under its flag at Sun- Russian athletes won chance to prove that the ruling to maintain the coun-
attributes, but you can’t day’s closing ceremony in two gold medals in Py- Russian character will never try’s ban.
take away our character, South Korea were stymied eongchang, in figure skat- be broken.” The only Russians at the
and you have proven it by the two positive tests ing and ice hockey, along “I would like to thank our March 8-18 Pyeongchang
with your performance,” for banned substances, in- with six silver medals and athletes who were able to Games will be known as
Putin said after giving state cluding a curler who had to nine bronze. perform well even despite “Neutral Paralympic Ath-
awards to Olympic athletes forfeit his bronze medal. But “We put all our souls into the provocations,” Russian letes,” mirroring the IOC’s
in the Kremlin. “It has filled the IOC said Wednesday that, we won those medals Olympic Committee Presi- compromise.q

School kids rule: Digital designs

are 2020 Olympic mascots

Organizers unveiled the of the mascot selection games while also ensuring
winning designs at a school panel. “This means a lot, transparency.
in Tokyo on Wednesday. especially in Japan. I can- The original official logo
A total of 205,755 classes at not wait to see these two was hit with plagiarism alle-
16,769 elementary schools characters coming to life in gations and scrapped.
took part in selecting three the stadiums, on the streets The designer of the winning
short-listed designs, with and on TV.” mascots is Ryo Taniguchi,
their classes casting a sin- Organizers say the mascots who graduated as an art
gle vote. combine tradition with in- major from Cabrillo Col-
The winning pair, clad in novation. lege in California, and is
Ryo Taniguchi, right, the designer of the characters which will
serve as mascots for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the ‘ichimatsu” checkered Their names will be de- currently active as a char-
Paralympics Games, receives a 3D models of his designed pattern of the Games’ offi- cided by copywriters and acter designer/illustrator.
characters in Tokyo, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018. cial logo, received 109,041 other professionals and an- His work has been featured
Associated Press votes. nounced in July or August. by companies and at exhi-
By JIM ARMSTRONG say: A pair of futuristic digi- “The Tokyo 2020 Olympic The selection process in- bitions in Japan.
AP Sports Writer tal characters will be the and Paralympic Games fi- volving schoolchildren was The Tokyo Olympics are
TOKYO (AP) — The school- mascots for the Tokyo 2020 nally have their mascots,” introduced to get students scheduled for July 24 to
children have had their Olympics and Paralympics. said Ryohei Miyata, head enthusiastic about the Aug. 9, 2020.q