Winter Olympics: 32 Russian athletes file appeal as they bid to compete in Pyeonchang
Thursday 8 February 2018 12:48, UK
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has revealed 32 Russian athletes have filed appeals against a decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to prevent them from competing at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
The 32 athletes all failed to pass the mandatory IOC vetting - imposed as a result of Russian doping at the 2014 Sochi Olympics - and were subsequently not invited.
A court hearing over their appeal was adjourned on Wednesday as the row over athlete participation continues to surround the build-up before the Games begin on Friday.
The court did not decide on an appeal involving 32 Russian athletes nor did they start hearing the second case involving 13 additional athletes and two coaches. It will reconvene on Thursday, less than 24 hours before the opening ceremony.
The news follows Monday's decision by the IOC to reject a request to invite 13 active athletes and two retired athletes working in support roles who were among 28 athletes whose lifetime bans were overturned by CAS last Thursday while the ban on 11 others was upheld.
IOC chief Thomas Bach described the decision as "extremely disappointing and surprising".
Six-time Winter Olympics gold medal winner Victor Ahn is among the athletes to waiting for approval to compete in South Korea.
A statement released on Tuesday read: "The Ad hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has opened an arbitration procedure following an urgent application filed by 32 Russian athletes (the applicants) against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) (the respondent).
"The applicants challenge the IOC decision refusing to invite them to participate in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
"They request that CAS overturn the IOC decision and allow them to participate in these Games as Olympic Athletes from Russia."
The IOC, which has always claimed to have the final say on which athletes compete, has invited 169 Russians to compete in Pyeongchang as "Olympic Athletes from Russia" under a neutral flag, but has said it reserves the right to review and appeal the CAS decision.
