Has deal been done to allow Russia to march under own flag at Closing Ceremony?
BySportsbeat
Published 22/02/2018 at 13:21 GMT
Olympic officials could have done the ultimate back room deal to get the Russian team back in time for this weekend's closing ceremony.
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
Insiders claim the decision of Russian Alexander Krushelnitsky not to contest his doping ban is part of a plan designed by IOC president Thomas Bach not to upset key ally Vladimir Putin.
The 25-year-old was one of 168 Russians allowed to compete as neutrals at the Games, despite the country being banned for previous doping offences.
He won mixed doubles curling bronze with wife Anastasia Bryzgalova but tested positive for banned heart drug meldonium, afterwards.
The IOC banned the Russian team over ‘systemic' doping during the Games they hosted in Sochi four years ago.
But they left the door open for the team to march under their own flag and be readmitted to the fold at Sunday's opening ceremony.
Krushelnitsky's positive test threw that into the air but a back room deal - whereby he accepted responsibility and a two year ban - seems to have been struck.
However, Olympic officials played down a meeting between IOC president Thomas Bach and close Putin aide Igor Levitin in PyeongChang.
Levitin is a vice-president of the Russian Olympic committee and a former transport minister in Putin's government.
"It was four minutes, he wished him 'happy birthday'," insisted spokesman Mark Adams.
"They may have talked about something else in that four minutes, but I really don't know. He meets 30 or 40 different people every day."
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