The first vice-speaker of the State Duma, Russian Olympic Committee President Alexander Zhukov described Russia's boycott of the upcoming Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games as absolutely unacceptable
"When you call for a boycott of the Olympics, you call for Russia practically withdrawing from the Olympic movement," he said at a meeting of the State Duma, pointing out that "this should not be allowed." "We must not do this to spite our enemies,"Interfax cited the ROC President as saying.
Zhukov added that it was "unacceptable" to accuse Russian athletes who decide to compete at the Olympics of being unpatriotic.
The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday banned Russia from the Pyeongchang Games after evidence emerged of an "unprecedented systematic manipulation" of the anti-doping system, but left the door open for clean athletes to compete as neutrals.
