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WADA has alleged that 1,000 Russian athletes were involved in doping in the 2012 and 2014 Olympics [Xinhua]
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld a previous International Olympic Committee (IOC) decision to bar the athletes from the Games, saying the IOC could invite or decline inviting athletes.
Earlier in the week, the same CAS had lifted doping bans on some 15 Russian athletes who had tested positive for illegal drug use during the Sochi Olympics in 2016.
But the IOC still refused them entry saying that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had uncovered further incriminating evidence that CAS had not seen.
The IOC rejection comes on the heels of a ban in December of all Russian athletes stemming from allegations of widespread doping during the 2016 Sochi Winter Olympics.
But Russian athletes who are tested clean for doping will be allowed to participate in Pyeongchang under a neutral flag; they are prohibited from flying their national colors
Members of the Russian State Duma said they are preparing an official response to the IOC and CAS.
“It’s clear that the CAS accepted the IOC’s points emphasizing that the IOC has an absolute freedom in deciding whom to invite to the Olympic Games,” Russian Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov told the Russian TASS news agency.
He said the athletes are considering legal action against these Olympic bodies.
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies
