Russia’s controversial vice-premier Vitali Mutko expects about 200 “clean” Russian athletes to take part in the Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang (9. till 25. February). The 59-year-old, who is banned from all Olympic functions due to his involvement in the state doping of the giant empire, told the official news agency TASS on Saturday.
It was understood “that there are some athletes who do not meet the new criteria”, said Mutkos,”we estimate that the team is made up of about 200 athletes”.
The IOC announced on Friday evening that the “Invitation Review Panel” and the “OAR Implementation Group” had reduced the list of potential Russian starters flying a neutral flag from 500 to 389 “clean” candidates.
Other athletes could be removed from the list if conditions such as further doping tests and follow-up examinations are not met.
According to the IOC, 80 percent of the pool’s athletes did not participate in the 2014 Winter Games. In addition, 51 trainers and ten medical staff were also sorted out.
At the beginning of December, the IOC had excluded the Russian Olympic Committee from the Winter Games because of systematic doping, but offered clean Russian athletes the prospect of a start under Olympic flag and anthem under certain conditions.
The “Invitation Review Panel”, chaired by the former French Minister of Sport, Valerie Fourneyron, has the task of defining the list of potential athletes. The Commission also includes Richard Budgett, Medical Director of the IOC, and German WADA Chief Investigator Günter Younger.