IOC bans use of Russian flag at Pyeongchang Olympics

The OAR logo that Russian athletes must use on their team uniforms (provided by IOC)

Russian athletes will also be forced to use the “OAR” designation instead of “RUS”

The OAR logo that Russian athletes must use on their team uniforms (provided by IOC)

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced conduct guidelines strictly banning the use of the national flag by Russian athletes competing in the Pyeongchang Olympics as individuals. According to guidelines posted to the IOC website on Jan. 27, Russian athletes may not display the Russian country code “RUS” on their competition or team uniforms and must use the abbreviation “OAR” (short for “Olympic athlete from Russia’) instead.

While spectators are allowed to display Russian flags during the Olympics, Russian athletes may not use the Russian flag, national anthem, or associated symbols and emblems. The Olympic flag is to be displayed when Russian athletes take the medal stand, and the “Olympic Hymn“ is to be played in place of the Russian national anthem when athletes win gold. Use of the Russian flag by athletes is restricted to their own rooms within the Olympic athletes’ village.

The IOC also ruled that while the Russian Olympic Committee may organize “alternate” victory celebrations with the Russian flag and anthem to console its athletes, the athletes themselves are not allowed to attend. The IOC stated that it would “monitor the application of these guidelines prior to and during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics.”

US to send largest ever athletic delegation to Pyeongchang Olympics

Meanwhile, the US Olympic Committee officially announced the same day that it was sending 242 athletes to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, its largest total ever. The number includes 135 men and 107 women, 11 of whom are of Asian descent and 10 of African descent. Korean-American snowboarder Chloe Kim, short track speed skater Thomas Hong, and biathlon competitor Clare Egan were listed as capable of speaking Korean. For the first time, the list also includes openly gay athletes, including slopestyle skier Gus Kenworthy and figure skater Adam Rippon. The US owns a historic total of 96 Winter Olympic gold medals and is expected to easily clear the 100 mark with the Pyeongchang Games.

By Kim Tae-kyu, staff reporter and Yi Yong-in, Washington correspondent

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