MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on the participation of Russia in the upcoming Winter Olympics is part of a large-scale attack, an attempt to chase Russia away from professional sports, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
"This is a large-scale attack. I think it is connected to the fact that an upfront attempt to isolate Russia… fell apart, did not succeed," Maria Zakharova said.
Swiss Court Receives Appeal from Russia's Banned Athletes
Additionally, the IOC has also made a decision to bar several Russian athletes from participating in all future Olympic Games. The targeted competitors took the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.
"The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, has registered 22 appeals filed by Russian athletes against decisions taken by the Disciplinary Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC DC)," the court said in its statement.
An appeal was filed by Aleksandr Zubkov, Alexander Legkov and Aleksander Tretiakov, who lost their gold medals, Olga Fatkulina and Maxim Vylegzhanin, who lost silver medals, and others. They requested that the CAS issue its decision before the beginning of the Olympic Winter Games 2018.
The decision on athletes' disqualification was made on the basis of the IOC investigation Commission led by Denis Oswald. These athletes were accused of violating anti-doping rules at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi and barred from participating in any more Olympic competitions.
On Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board suspended the Russian National Olympic Committee over 'systematic manipulation' of the anti-doping system. According to the IOC decision, selected Russian athletes will be allowed to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games under the Olympic Flag. The Russian national team has been deprived of first place in the medal count at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games.
