Russian Olympians Have Chance of Marching Under National Flag - IOC
© AFP 2019 / Fabrice COFFRINI
PYEONGCHANG (South Korea) (Sputnik) - Russian athletes who are due to compete at the Winter Olympics under a neutral flag have a chance of marching under the Russian national flag during the closing ceremony, Nenad Lalovic, a newly appointed member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board, said on Wednesday.
"Yes, it is. Of course it is possible, really possible," Lalovic, who is also the president of United World Wrestling (UWW), said when answering a question on whether there is a possibility that the Russian athletes would march under the Russian flag.
READ MORE: IOC Decisions Against Russian Athletes Illegal From the Start — Expert
On Tuesday, Russian IOC member Shamil Tarpishchev expressed hope of seeing the Russian team with national symbols at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games.
© REUTERS / Maxim Shemetov
'Unanimously Recommended': IOC Panel Bans 15 Russians From 2018 Olympics
Russian athletes are allowed to perform at the Winter Olympics in South Korea's Pyeongchang under a neutral flag because of the doping scandal that resulted in the IOC ban suspending the Russian Olympics Committee (ROC).
The scandal around the alleged systematic use of prohibited chemicals in Russian sports erupted in 2015, when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accused Russia of multiple violations. In 2016, Richard McLaren, head of the WADA investigative team, presented a two-part report alleging the existence of a state-supported doping program in Russia. Russian officials have refuted the allegations, while admitting that the Russian sports had some doping-related issues. The scandal resulted in a lifetime ban for a number of Russian athletes and the revision of the 2014 Olympics result.
READ MORE: IOC President Says Committee Has Good Arguments Against Banned Russian Athletes
IOC President Says Committee Has Good Arguments Against Banned Russian Athletes
IOC Decisions Against Russian Athletes Illegal From the Start - Expert
IOC Head Notes Need for CAS Reform After Russian Athletes Appeals Upheld
'IOC Fails to Comply With Democratic Procedures' - Russian Upper House Speaker
IOC Head Says CAS Ruling on Russian Athletes Showed Need for Court's Reforming
Russian athletes, national flag, ban, International Olympic Committee (IOC), Russia