MOSCOW, July 7. /TASS/. The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision announced earlier in the day to lift earlier-imposed restrictions on Russian athletes will accelerate the process of their full-fledged return to international competition, Russian Sports Minister and President of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) Mikhail Degtyarev said on Tuesday.
"The IOC Executive Board decided to reinstate the Russian Olympic Committee and reversed its decision with recommendations regarding the participation of Russian athletes under a neutral status and a ban [on participation] in team competitions," Degtyarev stated on his Telegram social network account.
"All eligibility checks on the neutral status of Russian athletes have been scrapped. The IOC has lifted its ban on holding international competitions in Russia," he continued.
"As of today, over 20 international sports federations have allowed [Russian] youth athletes to compete under the Russian flag and to the tune of the national anthem, while 10 federations cleared all athletes without restrictions. The IOC's decision will significantly speed up this process," Degtyarev added.
