BSP-10 Olympics chief in ‘birthday’ meeting with Putin aide

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Olympics chief in ‘birthday’ meeting with Putin aide

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea, Feb 22, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Olympics chief Thomas
Bach met an aide of Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of a decision
about lifting Russia’s Games ban — but mainly to wish him happy birthday, a
spokesman said Thursday.

Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), met Igor
Levitin for about four minutes during the Pyeongchang Winter Games on
Wednesday, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said.

The meeting came as the IOC ponders whether to lift Russia’s suspension
from the Olympics, imposed in December over a major drugs scandal, in time
for Russian athletes to carry the national flag at Sunday’s closing ceremony.

Separately, a source told AFP that Russia has paid its $15 million fine to
the IOC for the doping controversy, and a Russian curler was stripped of his
bronze medal after admitting a doping charge.

“It was I believe a four-minute meeting. It was (Levitin’s) birthday and I
believe the main content was the president wishing him a happy birthday,”
Adams said.

Asked whether it was a coincidence that the curler, Alexander
Krushelnitsky, had decided not to contest his anti-doping charge, Adams said:
“You can make that conclusion.”

Levitin, a senior figure in table tennis and Russia’s former transport
minister, was appointed as Putin’s presidential aide in 2013. He turned 66 on
Wednesday.

All officials from Russia’s sports ministry were barred from the Games
over the drugs scandal, while Russian Vice President Vitaly Mutko, the former
sports minister, was banned for life.

Despite their team’s suspension, Russia were allowed to send 168 athletes
to compete as neutrals in Pyeongchang, after they were passed clean following
rigorous testing.

However, Krushelnitsky tested positive for the endurance booster
meldonium, raising questions about the pre-Games testing and the decision to
let Russian athletes compete.

The 25-year-old initially expressed shock over the positive drugs test and
welcomed a Russian investigation, while officials hinted at possible
sabotage.

But on Wednesday, Krushelnitsky said he was withdrawing from his hearing
at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which announced Thursday that he had
been provisionally suspended and stripped of his medal.

“The athlete has admitted the anti-doping rule violation; he is
disqualified from the mixed doubles curling event,” the court said in a
statement.

The Russian situation, stemming from systemic doping culminating at the
2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, overshadowed the build-up to Pyeongchang and
also looks set to dominate debate at the conclusion of the Games.

Adams said Thursday that the IOC has the option of “partially” lifting
Russia’s suspension, although how that would be implemented at the closing
ceremony is unclear.

An implementation panel is due to make a recommendation to the IOC’s
executive board, which is meeting on Saturday ahead of an IOC Session on
Sunday.

BSS/AFP/RY/1605