Russian Figure Skaters' Outcry
Commenting on Russian figure skaters Ksenia Stolbova and Ivan Bukin not being included in the list of participants of the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, Russia's Alexey Yagudin, the 2002 Olympic figure skating champion, did not mince words when expressing its frustration about what he described as "uttermost lawlessness."
"And foreigners say that sport is beyond politics! The IOC [International Olympic Committee], WADA [The World Anti-Doping Agency] and all those who took these decisions are breaking the lives of the purest athletes, who gave their lives and souls for sports! The heart is breaking from the news," Yagudin wrote in his Instagram account.
He was echoed by the 2014 Olympic figure skating champion, Adeline Sotnikova, who said on her Twitter page that she is "shocked by what is happening…"
Я в шоке от того,что происходит…
— Adelina Sotnikova (@sotnickova2014) 23 января 2018 г.
никакие нервы не выдержат этот беспредел!!!
"No, [my] nerves will not stand this lawlessness," she added.
Russian cross-country skier Sergey Ustyugov, who was also not included in the list of 2018 Pyeongchang Games' participants, said in his Instagram account that he was surprised and upset by the IOC decision, much less than by the November disqualification of his team-mates Evgeniy Belov, Alexander Legkov, Maxim Vylegzhanin and others.
"Life does not end after the Olympics, and there will be other competitions where we will win and prove that we are Russians, we are strong and we are pure," Ustyugov pointed out.
Russian figure skater Alexandra Stepanova, who performs in ice dancing together with Sergey Bukin, for her part, thanked everyone for their support, pledging that their duo will never surrender.
'Medal Gift' for Italy
The Italian sports website oasport.it has in turn published an article titled "Ustyugov's disqualification is a 'medal gift' for Italy."
"Sergey Ustyugov will not go to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, which will seriously affect the dynamics of cross-country skiing. Failing to appear on the snow in South Korea will be one of the most outstanding skiers of recent years, the winner of the 2017 Tour de Ski and the world champion in the pursuit and team sprint," the article read.
The Spanish website Elcorreo, for its part, cited a statement by the law firm Schellenberg Wittmer as saying that an independent commission of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF), which canceled the temporary suspension of several Russians athletes disqualified by the IOC, "confirmed that the IOC decisions were taken in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights."
Kremlin's Reaction
The Russian President's spokesman Dmitry Peskov has meanwhile warned against using the word "boycott" when it comes to the participation of Russian athletes in the Pyeongchang Games.
"As you know, it is very important to avoid words such as boycott right now … In any case, it is necessary to continue dialogue with the International Olympic Committee. The situation is not easy; it's rather difficult, but this does not mean that dialogue should be stopped. It is necessary to speak to the IOC and it is necessary to defend our rights as much as possible," Peskov said.
The IOC Executive Committee moved to announce in early December 2017 that Russian athletes will perform at the 2018 Games, but that they can only do so under the Olympic flag in the status of "athletes-Olympians from Russia."
