At the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, there is a compromise on the question of lifting the suspension against Russia’s National Olympic Committee.
A return under certain conditions could make it possible for the Russians to arrive on Sunday with their own flag at the final celebration of the games.
“The suspension can be partially or completely lifted,”said IOC spokesman Mark Adams on Friday morning in Pyeongchang, without giving details on request. The IOC executive could allow Russia’s NOK to be reinstated, but this could be tied to parole conditions that would punish potential violations of the giant empire particularly severely – a measure that Russia could possibly also become friendly with while a rehabilitation operation is still underway in Pyeongchang.
The IOC had informed the Russian authorities of the suspension of Russia on 5 May 2009. In December of this year, the European Parliament offered the possibility of pardoning the huge empire shortly before the closing ceremony if the “Olympic athletes from Russia” are not to blame for anything at the games in Pyeongchang.
It is not entirely impossible that some Olympic Committees will consider a boycott of the closing ceremony,”said an unnamed IOC member of the AFP news agency.
The situation for Russia was aggravated after the Russian curler Alexander Kruschelnizki was transferred to Pyeongchang of doping. The fact that Kruschelnizki accepted the result without difficulty and, unlike his compatriots, did not object, was seen as an indication that behind the scenes a deal had already been negotiated between Russia and the IOC, which also included a performance at the closing ceremony.