IOC Executive Board meets to discuss Russia suspension

The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) executive board met on Saturday on the penultimate day of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

The main topic on the agenda was the anticipated report from an adhoc panel set up to assess Russia’s adherence to the Pyeongchang code of conduct.

It’s not clear whether the decision will be taken on Saturday or it will be left for the IOC Session which meets on Sunday morning to decide.

The Olympic Athletes of Russia Implementation Review Panel, led by Nicole Hoevertsz will present their findings to the Executive Board as they decide whether to allow Russia to march behind their national flag at the Winter Games closing ceremony on Sunday (February 25).

Sources familiar with the matter at the Pyeongchang Games, where Russians are competing as neutral athletes under the Olympic flag, said only a minority of IOC officials did not want to restore Russia’s national status for the ceremony on Sunday.

However the two doping cases involving Russian athletes this week mean any reinstatement would leave the IOC open to criticism.

Aside from simply lifting or not lifting Russia’s suspension, the IOC could opt for a conditional reinstatement.