Russia Ski Association Avoids Suspension

(ATR) The International Ski Federation (FIS) will not suspend the Russian Ski Association as long as it provides " full cooperation and support" to any and all investigations.

So far the FIS Doping Panel (FDP) has suspended 11 skiers sanctioned by the IOC Oswald Commission. The panel says that suspensions are provisional based on any appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"The FIS Council will closely follow the investigations by the different institutions into the possible involvement of the RSA in the conspiracy and take appropriate action if such involvement can be demonstrated," FIS said in a statement.

"In accordance with the FIS Anti-Doping Rules, the RSA is required to cover the FIS legal and operational costs in dealing with the Russian doping cases and the support provided in establishing Russian independent anti-doping testing in 2016 and 2017. The RSA shall assist the FIS Council, the FDP and any persons appointed by the FIS to fully support any investigations related to the doping conspiracy as described in the IOC Commission Reports and to timely and comprehensively respond to any question asked."

FIS says it has the right to take any additional measures against the RSA if new evidence or cases emerge in the future. International federations continue to sift through evidence provided to them from the World Anti-Doping Agency’s investigative unit with data from the Moscow anti-doping laboratory. If any evidence presents itself of "involvement of the RSA in the Sochi 2014 conspiracy," FIS will take action, it says.

However, Russia will be allowed to continue to host any scheduled stages on the FIS calendar for 2017-18 for skiing and snowboarding events without any issue.

Russian Uniforms Set

The head of the supplier for the Russian Olympic Team told TASS news agency that the IOC has approved a uniform for the Olympic Athletes of Russia delegation.

Anastasia Zadorina told Russian media that the IOC approved designs once certain symbols were removed from the uniform and replaced with the "OAR" logo.

"In line with the requirements we took off the tricolor, the national emblem and added the required OAR emblem," Zadorina said. "The IOC has approved the design of the uniforms and we have received an official confirmation from them."

The new uniforms will allow the OAR delegation to participate in the PyeongChang 2018 Opening Ceremony, Russian Olympic Committee President Alexander Zhukov said to TASS. The athletes will march in the stadium under the Olympic flag in the newly designed uniforms.

Russia "Fan House" Set in Gangneung

There will be no Russia House during the 2018 Olympics, but there will be a Fan House.

The director of the Russian PyeongChang 2018 hospitality house told Russian media that the IOC has approved the use of some national symbols during the Games. The approved symbols will be a "heart composed of ribbons in the color of the national flag," Oleg Rumyantsev, Russian Fan House director, told TASS.

The name for the house is still to be decided, but Rumyantsev says it will be either "Russian Fan House," or "Fan House 2018". It will be located outside of the Gangneung Olympic Park, where the ice venues are located.

"The IOC’s ban on Russian national symbols doesn’t involve the fans," Rumyantsev said to TASS. "The IOC has informed [us] that all the restrictions adopted by the body’s Executive Board on December 5 are to be applied to the official delegation and will not affect fans or journalists."

Written by Aaron Bauer

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