Bach: Russian doping scandal didn’t stain Winter Olympics
PYEONGCHANG, Korea, Republic Of — The massive, state-linked Russian doping scandal didn’t stain the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, IOC President Thomas Bach said Sunday.
It was, however, the subject of the vast majority of the questions Bach fielded as the IOC tried to shake the stigma of Russian cheating that has plagued the last three Olympics — Sochi, Rio de Janeiro and now Pyeongchang.
The IOC doesn’t want it to touch Tokyo’s Summer Olympics in 2 1/2 years.
Just hours before Sunday’s closing ceremony, the IOC ruled that the 160-plus Russian delegation — participating under the neutral “Olympic Athletes from Russia” logo — could not march in the closing ceremony under its own flag. This would have been a signal that Russia was back in the Olympic Family.