Women’s national hockey team calm despite controversy over joint team with North Korean athletes

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Tuesday defended a decision to ban Russian athletes from the 2018 Winter Olympics.The IOC has suspended the Russian Olympic Committee over rampant doping and is only allowing clean athletes to compete as neutrals, each formally called an "Olympic Athlete from Russia." Last weekend, the IOC cleared 169 athletes for the Feb. 9-25 PyeongChang Winter Games.Among those not cleared is Seoul-born short track speed skater Victor An, who has claime

Seoul is virtually a co-hosting venue of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics slated for next month as all athletes, delegates, officials and tourists from around the world will “stay or pass through” the capital city during the games, the city’s Mayor Park Won-soon said during a press conference for the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club on Tuesday.“Seoul designated 52 days from Jan. 26 as special welcoming days and released five special support packages during the period (for foreign visitors)

With the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games just 10 days away, its two athletes' villages will open later this week for thousands of participants attending the multi-sports event, the games' organizing committee said Tuesday.The official opening ceremonies will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday -- one at PyeongChang and one at Gangneung -- according to the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. (Yonhap)There are two villages for the 2018 Winter Games. The Py

Chloe Kim, Marissa Brandt among Korean-American athletes to compete at PyeongChang

KSU criticized for administrative mishap and handling of physical abuse

　According to the PyeongChang Organizing Committee, 2,925 athletes from 92 countries have registered to compete in the Olympics, marking the biggest number of athletes in history. 　The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics had been the largest with 2,858 athletes from 88 nations.　South Korea will have a record 144 athletes competing in all 15 sports at the games. 　The US has the largest team for the games, with 242 athletes, followed by Canada with 226.　Meanwhile, North Korea will have 22 athletes in five

The joint Korean women's ice hockey team will move into athletes' residences for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics ahead of schedule, the sport's South Korean governing body said Tuesday.The unified team, coached by South Korea bench boss Sarah Murray, is set to take on Sweden in its only pre-Olympics tuneup match at 6 p.m. Sunday in Incheon, just west of Seoul. The 35 players had initially been scheduled to enter Gangneung Olympic Village, one of two athletes' living quarters for the Olympics, th

South Korea is preparing for joint skiing training with North Korea at a ski resort in the North as earlier agreed as Pyongyang has not said anything unusual following its cancellation of a planned cultural event, Seoul officials said Tuesday. North Korea's abrupt cancellation late Monday of a joint performance slated for Sunday at Mount Kumgang has raised questions about whether scheduled joint skiing exercises or even the North's participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics will proceed as

PYEONGCHANG -- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will hold a series of key meetings prior to and during the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.The IOC announced on Tuesday schedules for its Executive Board meeting and the 132nd IOC Session. PyeongChang will host these meetings, as is the custom for all Olympic host cities.The board meeting is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the International Broadcasting Centre (IBC). During the first day, international sports federations for both

PYEONGCHANG -- Korea's alpine skier Kyung Sung-hyun filed a court injunction on Monday against the Korea Ski Association to suspend its national team selection, sources said. Last week, the KSA announced a list of four alpine skiers -- two men and two women -- for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. On the men's side, the KSA selected Jung Dong-hyun, who specializes in the technical events of slalom and giant slalom, and Kim Dong-woo, who competes in the speed events of downhill and super-G. 

South Korean figure skater Choi Da-bin declared herself pain-free on Sunday, with the PyeongChang Winter Olympics just days away.Choi returned home from Taiwan, where she posted a new season-best score of 190.23 points to finish fourth at the International Skating Union Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.The encouraging showing came on the heels of some subpar performances, as Choi has been battling ankle problems caused by a pair of loose skate boots. (Yonhap)"I have been struggling a

The joint Korean women's ice hockey team, assembled for the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympics, had their first practice session together Sunday.Following the recent inter-Korean agreement and a stamp of approval from the International Olympic Committee, the two Koreas have put together a unified team of 35 players for the Olympics -- 12 North Koreans have joined 23 South Koreans. (Yonhap)South Korea's head coach, Sarah Murray, is in charge, while North Korea has also sent its own coach, Pak C

Jamaica, led by a trailblazing women's bobsleigh team, will be among the first nations to move into the athletes' living quarters for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, officials said Sunday.According to PyeongChang's organizing committee, Jamaica will be joined by Brazil, Romania and Belgium for the very first welcoming ceremony at PyeongChang Olympic Village at 1 p.m. on Feb. 5. The committee said the athletes will start arriving in the Olympic host city on Wednesday. (Yonhap)There are two

The controversy surrounding the South Korean Olympic alpine skiing team selection will spill into court, a source revealed Sunday.The source, who is close to alpine skier Kyung Sung-hyun, said the athlete will file a court injunction against the Korea Ski Association on Monday to suspend its national team selection committee.The KSA announced a list of four alpine skiers -- two men and two women -- for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics on Wednesday.The KSA had picked nine skiers for a trainin