2018 Winter Olympics PyeongChang: Russian President reacts

MOSCOW: Swiftly reacting to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) ban on Russian athletes, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin said that the Russian athletes will compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics Games to be held next February in Pyeong Chand, South Korea.

Russian being a major winter sports force was banned from participating in February’s 2018 Winter Olympics after the IOC found the country had engaged in “systemic manipulation” of anti-doping rules.

Putin disapproved the accusations of the doping plan was sponsored by the Russian state and said that the ban on the athletes was unfair.

2018 Winter Olympics PyeongChang: Russia banned over doping concerns

According to the RIA news agency, Putin said,”We, without doubt, will not declare a blockade, we will not prevent our Olympians from taking part, if one of them wants to take part in a personal capacity”.

While announcing that in 2018 he will rerun for Presidency, Putin emphasised that most of the athletes, including some he personally knows, have been preparing for the Winter Olympics 2018. He added, “This is very important for them,”. “Based on these considerations, of course, we will not forbid anything to anyone, block anything, making any impossible conditions for participation.”

The Russian President stressed that the ban was based on a politically motivated decision, saying: “It all looks like an absolutely staged and politically motivated decision. We see this, for me there is no doubt about it.”

For updates regularly visit: Allsportspk