While Pyeongchang is busy with last minute preparations, on Monday, 5 February the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said that they will not invite 15 of the 28 Russian athletes who had their lifetime Olympic bans overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last week.
CAS said that there was insufficient evidence to prove the anti-doping violation charges issued by the IOC against Russian athletes for using banned substance at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
So the authority overturned the lifetime ban from 15 athletes, which automatically provided them with an opportunity to participate in 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.
On the other hand, according to the International Olympic Committee, President Thomas Bach addressed this decision as "extremely unsatisfactory".
According to The Guardian he also mentioned that even though they are considering the decision, "we need the reasoned decision to see whether we have any prospect of success. If we have any such prospect, we will appeal" against CAS verdict.
Apart from those 15 athletes, IOC allowed those who never had a history of doping accusation and provided a banner to perform under called "Olympic Athletes from Russia".
However, in a statement, IOC has stated that the Invitation Review Panel had unanimously recommended that the supreme authority of the worldwide Olympic movement will not extend an invitation for those 15 athletes.
"Following the detailed analysis conducted by the Panel, its members observed that there were additional elements and/or evidence, which could not be considered by the IOC Oswald Commission because it was not available to it, that raised suspicion about the integrity of these athletes," the statement claimed.
While talking about the verdict, Bach also mentioned that there is a need for internal structural change at the court to allow it to "better manage the quality and the consistency of its jurisdiction".
On Monday, 5 February, John Coates, CAS President said it had taken Bach's concerns about the verdict under consideration and it will be examined by the authority.
According to Reuters, Coates said, "Athletes are entitled to have confidence in judicial processes at all levels, more particularly before the CAS. They are entitled to have confidence in judicial processes at all levels, more particularly before the CAS."
