The head of the Russian Olympic Committee Alexander Zhukov, who was deprived of membership in the International Olympic Committee.

According to him, any athlete is humiliated, speaking at competitions of this level under a neutral flag and without the execution of a national anthem. At the same time, he noted that the sanctions of the IOC will be valid only until the last day of competition, so at the closing ceremony of the Games Russians will still have the opportunity to walk under the tricolor. Franz Klintsevich, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Defense and Security of the Council of Federation, reacted more sharply to the decision of sports officials. In his opinion, the once proclaimed slogan "Sport outside politics" is irrelevant and is used against Russia by its political opponents. "A terrible blow has been inflicted not only on the Olympic movement - the relations between the peoples have come under attack as the core of world security as a whole," he commented on the decision of the IOC to RT. No matter how hard the sports functionaries try to portray the fight against dishonest sportsmen, in reality, Russia is trying to isolate the country from the Games in Pyeongchang, Klintsevich stressed.. Also, the senator added that "the great power should not be incognito to go to the Olympics". With Zhukov and Klintsevich agreed and the star of the NHL and Russian hockey, Alexander Ovechkin, who saw no reason to remove the entire national team.

The hockey player called the decision of the IOC humiliating and "I find it difficult to advise anything to athletes in this situation.

But go at your own expense and act under a neutral flag - I do not understand this at all, "Ovechkin confessed in an interview with the agency" Moscow ".

Honored trainer of the Soviet Union Tatyana Tarasova and did say that the IOC actually killed a big sport in Russia. However, she is confident that Russians will be able to survive this unjust verdict.