Russia says International Olympic Committee reinstates its membership

Valery Sharifulin | TASS via Getty Images

Olympic Athletes from Russia take part in the Parade of Nations at the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium.

The head of Russia’s Olympic Committee said on Wednesday that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had reinstated his organization’s membership after suspending it over doping allegations.

“The Russian Olympic Committee has had its rights fully restored,” said Alexander Zhukov, the president of the Russian Olympic Committee, in comments broadcast on state TV.

“It’s a decision of the utmost importance for us.”

Russians competed as neutrals in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics after the IOC suspended Russia in December, saying it had found evidence of an “unprecedented systematic manipulation” of the anti-doping system.