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IOC Reinstates Russia's Membership

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Russian Olympic Committee President Alexander Zhukov speaks to the media during in Moscow, Russia, Feb. 28, 2018.
Russian Olympic Committee President Alexander Zhukov speaks to the media during in Moscow, Russia, Feb. 28, 2018.

The International Olympic Committee has reinstated Russia's membership after suspending it over state-sponsored doping allegations.

"The Russian Olympic Committee has had its rights fully restored," said Alexander Zhukov, the president of the Russian Olympic Committee.

The IOC had banned Russian athletes from competing under the country's flag during the 2018 Winter Games in South Korea because of allegations Russia ran a state-sponsored doping program during the last Winter Olympics, in Sochi in 2014. However, the Olympic Committee allowed more than 160 Russians to compete individually at the 2018 Games.

Two of the Russian athletes failed drug tests at the Pyeongchang Games. However, the IOC said Wednesday that all remaining test results were negative.

"The IOC can confirm that all the remaining results are negative. Therefore, as stated in the Executive Board decision of 25th February, the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee is automatically lifted with immediate effect," an IOC statement said.

Russia repeatedly has denied it carried out a doping operation.

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