Russia has Olympic membership restored after Pyeongchang suspension

Russia’s Olympic suspension has been lifted with immediate effect, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced.

Russia was banned from the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang due to state-sponsored doping allegations, although a total of 168 Russians were permitted to compete as part of a neutral Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR) team.

Two of those athletes failed dope tests but on Wednesday the IOC said it had received all the remaining test results from the OAR delegation and confirmed all were negative.

The IOC executive board had decided on February 25 the Russian Olympic Committee would have its suspension lifted in this scenario

Russian Olympic Committee president Alexander Zhukov says they have had their rights restored

Alexander Zhukov, the president of the Russian Olympic Committee, told state TV: “The Russian Olympic Committee has had its rights fully restored

“It’s a decision of the utmost importance for us.”

The OAR team won 17 medals in South Korea, including two golds.

However, partly as a consequence of the two failed dope tests, the IOC decided not to lift the suspension ahead of the Pyeongchang closing ceremony – meaning the OAR athletes could not march behind the Russian flag.