The 2018 Olympics
The Games feature 102 events in seven sports. Dates are Feb. 9–25.
IOC Reinstates Russian Olympic Team February 28, 2018 The International Olympic Committee has reinstated the membership of the Russian team. The IOC had banned the Russian team from the 2018 Winter Olympics after finding evidence of widespread doping from as far back as 2012. In PyeongChang, 168 athletes from Russia who had passed further drug tests competed under the banner of Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR). Together, those athletes won 17 medals, including two gold. One gold medal went to Alina Zagitova; the other went in multiple to the men's ice hockey team. At both medal ceremonies, the Olympic flag flew during the playing of the Olympic theme. At the ice hockey ceremony, the Russian athletes sang their national anthem after hearing the Olympic theme. Bjoergen Goes Out a Winner, Record-setter February 25, 2018 Norway's Marit Bjoergen won her fifth medal in PyeongChang and increased her own world-best records, winning her eighth career gold medal and 15th overall. In her fifth and final Olympics, she went out in style by winning the 39-kilometer mass start cross-country ski race, besting silver medalist Krista Pamrakoski of Finland by nearly two minutes. Investigation into Russian Curler's Failed Drug Test February 19, 2018 Aleksandr Krushelnitckii has left the Winter Olympic Games after testing positive for the banned substance meldonium. He and his wife, Anastasia Bryzgalova, won the bronze medal in mixed double curling; it was the debut of the event and Russia's first ever medal in the sport. Meldonium is a heart drug that boosts endurance and is the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list. Athletes are tested twice, creating an "A" sample and a "B" sample; the "B" sample is tested only if the "A" sample is positive. After the "B" sample test, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) opened an investigation into the athlete. The CAS has the power to take away medals from both athletes. Krushelnitckii is in Seoul, awaiting a decision by the CAS. More Figure Skaters Performing to Vocal Music January 15, 2018
Some figure skaters at this year's Winter Olympics will be dancing to music with vocals, an Olympic first. The International Skating Union approved the ending of the unofficial vocals prohibition in 2012, but the change went into effect after the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. The sport's routines have been done traditionally to music without vocals; in recent years, some competitors have skated routines to vocal music and found themselves marked down unnecessarily, some observers said. The union said that it had made the change in order to add an additional attraction to younger audiences, who might be tired of hearing such traditional backing music as Carmen and Swan Lake over and over again at international competitions. Among those onboard are Americans Nathan Chen (right) and Bradie Tennell (left). Russia Banned for Long-term Doping
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