PYEONGCHANG 2018: Australian Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman has provided the following response to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to suspend Russia from the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games.

“This is an appropriate and considered response by the IOC, punishing those involved in the blatant cheating, the systematic manipulation that took place during the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games while allowing clean athletes to compete in PyeongChang.

“The culprits, the corrupt, have been dealt with. The offending athletes from Sochi have been banned for life from the Olympic Games, and Russia, the host nation and custodian of the Games for that period, has been directly punished.

“Russia, and all involved with Sochi 2014, had a responsibility to nurture the Olympic Games and respect the athletes competing by providing a fair competition. Clearly, across so many levels that trust was abused, so it is right that the individuals, organisations and country who failed to meet their obligations be held to account.

“It is fair that clean athletes can compete in the 2018 Games, but the IOC has made it very clear that the scrutiny of the athletes from Russia will be high. This is exactly as it should be. This will provide our athletes with confidence that they have an even playing field in PyeongChang, and that is fundamentally important.”

Ian Chesterman
olympics.com.au