Stealing victory in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics from the Russian team will be very hard, if at all possible, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said after Russia lost first place in the unofficial team standing when the International Olympic Committee stripped a number of athletes of their medals over doping charges.
"The victory will be very hard to steal, let alone a victory that will forever remain an achievement of our team and of our heroic athletes," Peskov said.
"As for the decisions [to strip athletes of medals] which are made [by the IOC commission] they are to be analyzed fundamentally, calmly and soberly. What is most important, further persistent and energetic measures are to be taken under the applicable legislation for the protection of legitimate interests of our athletes in full cooperation with international sports organizations," TASS cited Peskov as saying.
On November 24, 2017, the disciplinary commission of the International Olympic Committee found two Russian medalists of the 22nd Winter Olympics in Sochi responsible for violating anti-doping rules. All in all, IOC verdicts pronounced in 2017 stripped the Russian team of nine awards - four golds, four silvers and one bronze. Russia lost first place in the Sochi Olympics unofficial team standing.
