IOC shows red eye to Russian athletes: Wear OAR uniforms

Moscow, December 21: Russia has washed off the stains of ban on Russian athletes to participate in Winter Olympics 2018 but on a condition not to reveal country’s Flag or Emblem in any manner, either on uniform or kit.

The Russian athletes can compete under a neutral flag at next year's Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang can have "Olympic Athlete from Russia" written on them for competitions and ceremonies.

A proposed logo, including the name in full written in red on a white background, has been published.

They can choose to either have the full team name or the "OAR" acronym.

The size of the wording "should be proportional to the area in which they are placed and will require individual approvals from the IOC".

 

This was announced today by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) following a ruling by their Implementation Group chaired by Aruba's Executive Board member Nicole Hoevertsz.

 

The colours used in uniforms, as well as accessories and equipment, may "not be in exactly the same pantone as those used in the Russian Federation flag". It is suggested that they be "darker in colour". An "OAR" logo must be included rather than any Russian symbols. Officials uniforms, however, must say "OAR" rather than "Olympic Athlete from Russia".

Background:

In November 2015, Russia's entire track and field team was provisionally suspended from all international athletic competitions by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) following a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report into a doping program in the country.[10] The IAAF announced that it would allow individual Russian athletes to apply for "exceptional eligibility" to participate in the Games as "neutral" athletes, if it were independently verified that they had not engaged in doping nor the Russian doping program