Winter Olympics: IOC president Thomas Bach defends approach to Russian doping
Thursday 8 February 2018 12:47, UK
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has defended their approach to the Russian doping problem ahead of the Winter Olympics.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will make decisions before Friday over whether the IOC must invite 47 athletes to compete in the 23rd Winter Games, which open in Pyeongchang on the same date.
The 45 current athletes, and two former athletes now in support roles, 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.
Bach says the IOC has dealt with the issues as best they can and insists that they, CAS and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will convene to ensure there is not a repeat of the chaotic build-up to the Rio 2016 Games.
Bach declined to speculate on the outcome of the hearings, but expects CAS president John Coates and his WADA equivalent Craig Reedie to discuss the way forwards.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Bach said: "The timing there was not in our hands. Studies had to be done, evidence had to be provided, fair hearings for the Russian athletes had to be offered.
"We're very pleased that the president of CAS yesterday made the offer to have a round table forum with stakeholders to see what they need to do.
"And the president of WADA has also made it clear that also WADA will look into these matters.
"Hopefully soon we can have a strengthened system in anti-doping, as far as the IOC and international federations are concerned (so) we have a strengthened system which allows us to protect our values."
CAS announced on Wednesday afternoon that the case of 32 Russians had been adjourned.
And when the panel reconvenes at the ad hoc division of CAS to hear the case on Thursday, it will also consider a new case involving 15 additional athletes.
The IOC was given until 9am local time on Thursday to provide its written submission, with the panel scheduled to reconvene at 12pm.
"The panel's decisions are expected to be announced either late in the evening of February 8, 2018 or in the morning of February 9, 2018," CAS said in a statement.
