[PyeongChang 2018] IOC chief hails PyeongChang preparation, regrets lifting of doping bans on Russians

Published : Feb 4, 2018 - 20:02 Updated : Feb 4, 2018 - 21:36

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said Sunday South Korean organizers have done extraordinary work in preparing for the Winter Olympics.

At a press conference in PyeongChang, Bach also expressed his regret that the Court of Arbitration of Sport's (CAS) recent decision lifted Olympic bans on 28 Russian athletes involved in a state-sponsored doping scandal.

"There are details to be done, but overall the state of preparations is really extraordinary," Bach said during his press conference in PyeongChang, some 180 kilometers east of Seoul.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach speaks at a press conference in PyeongChang (Yonhap)

He arrived in South Korea last Tuesday to attend this week's IOC meeting and the Feb. 9-25 Winter Olympics.

"This is thanks to a very motivated team at (the PyeongChang

2018 organizing committee), but also great thanks to, particularly, to those who, workers who, have to work out there in the cold, even in the late night to make late adjustments to the venues," he said.

"Under (these) weather conditions in PyeongChang, this is really remarkable."

Bach, a former Olympic fencing gold medalist for Germany, also gave his thumbs up to the two Olympic Villages in PyeongChang and Gangneung, calling them "among the best we've ever had at the Winter Games," if not the best.

"We can look forward with a great confidence to excellent Olympic Games with outstanding venues," he said.

Bach also expressed his expectation of extensive pre-games doping tests ahead of the PyeongChang Olympics. The Pre-Games Anti-Doping Taskforce has conducted a record 16,760 tests since April 2017 across the seven winter sports, and Bach called the testing program "the most comprehensive ever that we had before the

Olympic Games."

"It's worth mentioning that Russian athletes internationally were tested more than any other from participating countries," he said.

Meanwhile, regarding the CAS decision on Russian athletes, Bach said it is "extremely disappointing" and "surprising."

"We would have never expected this," he said. "So far, the panel was not able to deliver the reason for the decision, which we are eagerly waiting for, and we have asked the CAS to speed this procedure up. We have been told this could be end of February, which is (an) unsatisfactory situation."

Bach even called for "reforms" of the CAS, saying the IOC is not satisfied with the CAS's approach on the issue.

"We feel this decision shows very urgent need for reforms of internal structure of the CAS," he said. "The CAS has to change its structure in a way that it can ensure it can better manage the quality and consistency of its jurisdiction."

The IOC invitational review committee will look at each case of Russian athletes later to decide whether they should be invited to the PyeongChang Games. Bach said the IOC's final decision on this issue could come in the next few days. (Yonhap)