By Alex Jensen
SEOUL (AA) – South Korea is ready to host a successful Winter Olympics without Russia, according to PyeongChang 2018’s organizers Wednesday.
After the International Olympic Committee decided to ban Russia from the Games for state-sponsored doping, a statement out of PyeongChang made clear the organizers “accept and respect ” the move.
IOC President Thomas Bach condemned the scandal as “an unprecedented attack on the integrity of the Olympic Games “.
He also expressed hope that this will “serve as a catalyst for a more effective anti-doping system “.
The ban still allows for clean Russian athletes to compete under a neutral flag, yet it remains to be seen how many of them will ignore domestic pressure to boycott PyeongChang 2018.
Organizing committee chief Lee Hee-beom insisted he is not “overly worried ” about a possible fall in ticket sales or television ratings, according to quotes carried by Yonhap News Agency.
But amid concerns about a lack of enthusiasm for the Games, South Korea's Justice Ministry announced last month it would permit no-visa entry for Chinese visitors in line with the Olympics.
