Olympics Dec 07, 2025

IOC bars Russian athletes from marching behind their own flag

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
IOC bars Russian athletes from marching behind their own flag

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has dashed Russian athletes' hopes of marching behind their national flag at the closing ceremony of the Winter Games on Sunday.

The IOC have announced that they have decided against immediately lifting Russia's Olympic suspension, following fresh doping violations.

However, the IOC say the Russian Olympic Committee will be reinstated in the near future, as long as there are no new doping cases.

Russians have been competing as neutral athletes at the Games, their Olympic status having been suspended as IOC punishment following allegations that Russia ran a systematic, state-backed drug-cheating programme.

The IOC said two Russian doping violations during the Pyeongchang Games had marred an otherwise clean report card for the Russian delegation at the Games.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: "This was hugely disappointing and, in addition to other considerations, prevented the IOC from even considering lifting the suspension for the closing ceremony.

"We recognise these two cases have cast a serious shadow over the OAR delegation."

The 'Olympic Athletes from Russia' ended the Games on a high with a thrilling 4-3 overtime win over Germany in the ice hockey final.

Once again wearing red and white uniforms which lacked the Russian Coat of Arms, the team gave the OAR team their second gold and 17th total medal of the Olympics.

With Germany's Patrick Reimer off for high sticking midway through the extra period, the OAR went on a four-on-three man advantage and Kirill Kaprizov emerged as the hero, firing a pass from Nikita Gusev past German goaltender Danny aus den Birken.

The Germans entered the match as big underdogs but looked set to claim a surprise gold - only for the OAR to make it 3-3 with 56 seconds left to force an extra period.

IOC President Bach says the ban on Russia will be lifted automatically in future if there are no more positive tests.

Nicole Hoevertsz, who led an implementation group detailed to report back on the behaviour of the OAR delegation during the Games, said: "I believe that we should draw a line.

"We have to draw a line and look towards the future.

"We need to bring this story to an end and look forward. It is never going to be business as usual in sport again or in Russia."

Team GB Chef de Mission Mike Hay says boycotting the closing ceremony if Russia were allowed to fly their flag had been discussed.

"We talked about it, absolutely we did," said Hay.

"But we came to the conclusion the right thing to do was march, for the sake of the athletes.

"It's their games, it's their opportunity to enjoy themselves tonight, so that [a boycott] probably would have been the wrong thing to do."

Tags:

olympics news id:11266822

Share this article

Related Posts

Sky announces new partnership with Team GB and ParalympicsGB for 2026 Milan Cortina and 2028 Los Angeles Games

Sky announces new partnership with Team GB and ParalympicsGB for 2026 Milan Cortina and 2028 Los Angeles Games

Sky has announced a new partnership with Team GB and ParalympicsGB, reinforcing its commitment to British sport, and bringing the country together aro...

Snoop Dogg: Rapper named honorary Team USA coach for 2026 Winter Olympics

Snoop Dogg: Rapper named honorary Team USA coach for 2026 Winter Olympics

Snoop Dogg has been appointed Team USA's first-ever honorary coach for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games at Milano Cortina.The United State...

Skeleton: Canada facing investigation amid claims 2026 Winter Olympics skeleton qualifier was sabotaged

Skeleton: Canada facing investigation amid claims 2026 Winter Olympics skeleton qualifier was sabotaged

Canada has launched a robust defence against accusations it deliberately withdrew four athletes from a skeleton race, a move that dashed eventual winn...

Olympics 2024 LIVE! News, updates from Paris, today's events and latest results

Olympics 2024 LIVE! News, updates from Paris, today's events and latest results

Papers: Palmer keen on potential Man Utd transferCvancara loan to Celtic will include buy optionLatest from Your Site News' Florian Plettenberg and An...

Olympics 2024: Great Britain's Toby Roberts wins climbing gold; Katarina Johnson-Thompson settles for silver

Olympics 2024: Great Britain's Toby Roberts wins climbing gold; Katarina Johnson-Thompson settles for silver

Teenage sport climber Toby Roberts won Great Britain's 14th gold of the Paris 2024 Olympics after victory in the men's boulder and lead competition.Ro...

Olympics 2024: Paris schedule, latest results, today's events and start times, Team GB medal hopes

Olympics 2024: Paris schedule, latest results, today's events and start times, Team GB medal hopes

There are 13 gold medals up for grabs on Sunday at the Paris Olympics. We look at where those medals will be won and which Brits will be in action.Kee...