Russia has been banned from the upcoming winter Olympics in South Korea. The International Olympic Committee made the announcement Dec. 5 at a news conference.
“The Russian Olympic Committee is suspended with immediate effect,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said.
The ban is based on a report that shows long-term manipulation of anti-doping efforts in Russia, including during the 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi.
“The report clearly lays out an unprecedented attack on the integrity of Olympic games and sports,” Bach said.
World Anti-Doping Agency is leading the effort against that attack. Earlier this year the agency and the International Olympic Committee laid out the evidence of widespread doping in Russia — evidence that Rosie Brennan has spoken out against.
Brennan skis professionally for Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage and is the U.S. Ski and Snowboard’s athlete representative for WADA. Brennan says she’s happy the International Olympic Committee came to this decision – that the committee supports clean and healthy athletes.
Six Russian cross-country skiers were found guilty of doping during the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, two of whom have been stripped of their medals.
Brennan said there’s no tolerance for doping on the American team.
“We are held to a pretty high moral standard and our coaches have been pretty supportive against doping,” Brennan said. “I just think we have the kind of culture that frowns upon doping and looks at it as a pretty negative aspect of sport in general.”
So far, Sadie Bjornsen is the only Alaskan qualified for the upcoming Olympics.
In a written statement, Bjornsen said it’s her dream to win an Olympic medal and she’s worked hard to do that in a clean and healthy way.
She’s thankful the IOC has the same expectations for the athletes she’ll be competing against at the upcoming winter Olympics.
