The International Olympic Committee has announced, that the Russian Olympic Committee has been banned from sending a team to the 2018 Winter Olympics.
The decision was reached after the International Olympic Committee's 14‑strong executive board received a recommendation from a disciplinary committee set up to investigate claims that Russia conducted a state‑sponsored doping programme that culminated at the 2014 Winter Games.
In response, Russian state television said it would not broadcast the Games in the absence of Russia's national team.
The IOC's decision comes 18 months after it had refused an outright ban of Russian athletes at the 2016 Rio Olympics and told international sports federations to decide individually on the participation of Russians in Brazil.
Source: RadioNZ
