iNADO Implores IOC Members to Maintain Russian Olympic Committee Suspension and Exclude them from the Closing Ceremony

(Ottawa, Ontario – February 23, 2018) – The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) supports an open letter from the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations (iNADO) to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and the closing ceremony of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang.

The letter, written on behalf of iNADO’s board of directors, encourages IOC members to oppose the ROC’s reinstatement and maintain their exclusion from the closing ceremony.

“iNADO has made a clear and compelling case for why the ROC should not be invited to the PyeongChang closing ceremony and, perhaps more importantly, they have provided the IOC with a reasonable set of conditions they can use with Russia going forward if Russia wishes to attend future Olympic Games,” says Paul Melia, CCES President and CEO.

The IOC suspended the ROC from the Games because of evidence of institutionalized doping, but stated they would be eligible to participate in the closing ceremony if they are ruled to have acted within the "spirit and letter" of the IOC requirements (not publicly shared) to demonstrate their respect for clean sport, including the payment of a fine and adherence to anti-doping rules. Russian athletes who could meet testing criteria were permitted to compete in the Games as Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR).

“By failing to impose a meaningful sanction on the ROC, the IOC would be culpable in this effort to defraud clean athletes of the world,” says the letter authored by Doug MacQuarrie, iNADO Board Chair, and CCES Chief Operating Officer. “Clean athletes continue to raise concerns and are understandably frustrated with the equivocal stance of the IOC when it comes to the systemic doping in Russia.”

The closing ceremony will take place on February 25, 2018. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) will allow Russian para athletes who meet strict eligibility conditions to compete as Neutral Paralympic Athletes (NPA) in the Paralympic Games which begin on March 8, 2018. 

About the CCES

The CCES is an independent, national, not-for-profit organization with a responsibility to administer the Canadian Anti-Doping Program. We recognize that true sport can make a great difference for individuals, communities and our country. The CCES acknowledges funding, in part, from the Government of Canada. We are committed to working collaboratively to activate a values-based and principle-driven sport system; protecting the integrity of sport from the negative forces of doping and other unethical threats; and advocating for sport that is fair, safe and open to everyone.

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