"Despite International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach's condemnation of Russia's 'unprecedented attack on the integrity of the Olympics', the neutral competitors cleared to take part will be the third biggest group at the Games in Pyeongchang - behind only Canada and the United States.
And on Thursday a court overturned lifetime Olympic bans on 28 Russian competitors..there were 232 Russians competing at Sochi, when the host nation topped the medal table. Since then, 13 of those Russian medals - including four golds - have been stripped from the athletes because of doping.
However, Thursday's Court of Arbitration for Sport decision to overturn doping bans given to 28 Russian athletes means these may end up being given back - and Russia could once again sit top of the 2014 standings. Confused? So is the IOC...
Russian athletes are also expected to 'refrain from any public form of publicity, activity and communication associated with the national flag, anthem, emblem and symbols' at any Olympic site.This includes a ban on sharing or posting any such images or messages on social media...
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| Russian athletes from Sochi Games in 2016; www.dailymail.co.uk |
And why should athletes who can prove they play by the rules not be allowed to take part in the biggest sporting event of their lives? The IOC found a compromise, and even though the Russians have complained at the exclusion of some of their top athletes, it has been accepted.
Many people will deplore the way this has played out, they will feel that Russia has been let off lightly, even though its athletes must adhere to a strict set of regulations governing their behaviour during the Games."
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