Medvedev: The decision of the IOC "shameful"

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev called the decision of the International Olympic Committee “shameful” to prevent 15 Russians from playing Pyeongchang, from which the international sports arbitration (CAS) in Lausanne lifted the accusations of doping.

"The IOC Commission made a shameful decision. Unjust and unlawful. Amoral and politicized. Not allowing our athletes, who were restored in the rights of a sports court, created specifically for the resolution of such disputed situations, the commission trampled both the Olympic charter and the elementary principles of law," Medvedev Facebook wrote .

According to the Prime Minister, the decision of the IOC “contradicts the fundamental legal principles” and “destroys a person who has devoted his whole life to sports,” since the fault of Russian athletes was not proved in court.

“And the doping has nothing to do with it, it’s just ridiculous to talk about it,” Medvedev concludes. The purpose of the IOC decision is to “cause political damage” to Russia, the prime minister emphasizes.

On the final decision of the IOC in relation to 15 Russian athletes justified by sports arbitration, it became known on February 5 . The Committee refused to allow 13 existing athletes and two more at the Winter Olympics who have completed their careers and are now working as coaches.

On February 1, CAS canceled lifelong disqualification of 39 Russian athletes previously convicted of doping. 11 to Russians were replaced by a ban on participating only in the nearest Olympics - in Pyeongchang - and from the remaining 28 accusations of doping was completely removed for unprovenness.

After that, the acquitted athletes sent requests to the IOC to receive invitations to the Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Later, the IOC did not exclude that the CAS decision would be appealed.

On February 4, President of the International Olympic Organization Thomas Bach pointed out the need to reform CAS , in particular his management system. He made such a statement precisely in connection with the decision of the court on the appeal of Russians. The decision made, said the President of the IOC, "will adversely affect the fight against doping in the future."

Then Bach warned, "that the lack of sanctions by CAS does not mean that these athletes will have the right to receive an invitation from the IOC."