Foreign athletes expressed their warm support to the Russian Olympians, whom the International Olympic Committee (IOC) did not invite to the Winter Games in Pyeongchang. About this on his page in Instagram, said one of the detached athletes, two-time world champion in cross-country skiing Sergei Ustyugov. "Ninety-nine percent of foreign athletes support us and will be disappointed not to see us at the start. This is not their decision, this is not their fault, "- answered the skier on the comment of one of the subscribers. Earlier he said that he was deeply saddened by the decision of the IOC, but he did not intend to give up. "I was disappointed in the Olympic movement. And this time I will not worry, but I will continue to do my work and enjoy it. At the Olympic Games, life does not end, there will be other competitions where we will win and prove that we are Russians, we are strong, we are "clean," wrote the sportsman. Foreign athletes really support Russians through social networks and media. "I am very angry. Anton Shipulin. I've known him for many years. Often we met on the road and beyond. It is a great pity that we will not see each other in Korea ... Unclear suspicions and just a list of athletes - that's the evidence ... Probably there is something else here. Anton and the rest of the athletes! Hold on! "- wrote the Slovak biathlete Martin Otchenash in Instagram. On Tuesday, January 23, it became known that the IOC refused to invite biathletes Anton Shipulin, skier Sergei Ustyugov, short tracker Viktor An, a number of Russian skaters, figure skaters and hockey players to the Olympics.. The decision caused general bewilderment, since none of these athletes were caught in the use of doping, their names did not appear in the investigation conducted by the commission of the World Anti-Doping Association under the leadership of Richard McLaren. The IOC could not really explain why "clean" Russians do not go to South Korea. The member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Christina Kloster, limited herself to such a comment: "The absence of these athletes on the list means, of course, that they do not meet the criteria necessary for an invitation". Later, the head of the IOC, Thomas Bach, stated that suspicions are sufficient grounds for suspending. "If some athlete is not on the list, then the independent commission has serious evidence from different sources, obtained in various ways, which do not allow to say that there is no serious suspicion. This may be suspicion, it may even be an open investigation, there may be many factors that led to the dissatisfaction of the commission, "Bach explained.. Most likely, the reason for the removal of Ustyugov, Shipulin and others is the presence on the test tubes with their samples of scratches or traces of various manipulations with urine and blood tests. One of the detached athletes, Russian short-track player of South Korean origin Viktor An, wrote an open letter to the IOC. "I sincerely hope that the IOC will voice the reason for my non-admission so that I can defend my honor and dignity.

I am indignant at the situation with the fact that the specific reason for my non-admission to the Olympics has not yet been named and in this situation there have been talks about me as a sportsman who used dope, "wrote the six-time Olympic champion. Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Russian president, commented on Ana's letter, saying that athletes could fight for their rights in different ways, but that Russia would in any case support them. "You know that there are athletes who challenge their rights in court, there are athletes who appeal to public opinion, there are athletes who appeal to the IOC," said the Kremlin spokesman.