Stanislav Pozdnyakov
Vadym Gutzeit, Ukraine's Youth and Sport Minister and President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, talks during an interview with The Associated Press in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023. Gutzeit has pushed for a total ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Paris Games in an interview with The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
Ukrainian Olympic head on Russian rival: 'He is my enemy'

By John Leicester And Hanna Arhirova Feb. 15, 2023 05:13 AM EST

Russia eyes 2024 Paris Olympics despite sports bans

Jul. 26, 2022 07:18 AM EDT
PARIS (AP) — With two years to go until the Paris Olympics open, Russia is making plans for its athletes to live and compete in the French capital even though many...

FILE - The Russian national flag, right, flies after it is hoisted next to the Olympic flag during the closing ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia on Feb. 23, 2014. The International Olympic Committee has made a sweeping move to isolate and condemn Russia over the country’s invasion of Ukraine. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)
Russia facing sports isolation over invasion of Ukraine

By Graham Dunbar Feb. 28, 2022 06:57 AM EST

Gold medalist, Anna Shcherbakova, of the Russian Olympic Committee, poses after the women's free skate program during the figure skating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
‘I hate this sport!’: Rage, teen tears and Olympic collapse

By James Ellingworth Feb. 17, 2022 01:08 PM EST

Models display the Olympic uniforms for Russian athletes in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Dec. 10, 2021. Russia presents its Olympic kit for the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022, which shouldn't depict any symbols of the country. Russian athletes will compete at the Tokyo Olympics as neutral after the Court of Arbitration for Sport last December banned Russia from using its name, flag and anthem at any world championships because of state-backed doping. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
Russia unveils Beijing Olympics kit with national colors

Dec. 10, 2021 03:19 PM EST

Italy's rhythmic gymnastics' team performs during the rhythmic gymnastics group all-around final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Russian rhythmic dynasty topples, Bulgaria gets the gold

By Claire Galofaro Aug. 08, 2021 02:51 AM EDT

Russian Olympic Committee's artistic gymnastics women's team, from left, Liliia Akhaimova, Angelina Melnikova, Viktoriia Listunova and Vladislava Urazova celebrate after winning the gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Tokyo. The United States, left, won the silver medal. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
In ROC disguise, Russia has plenty to celebrate at Olympics

By James Ellingworth Aug. 07, 2021 10:26 AM EDT

Lilly King, of United States, swims in a women's 4x100-meter medley relay heat at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
King implies Russians 'should not be here' because of doping

By Jake Seiner Aug. 01, 2021 07:01 AM EDT

Yulimar Rojas, of Venezuela, competes in the final of the women's triple jump at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 1, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Olympics Latest: Belarus runner says team forcing departure

Jul. 31, 2021 09:18 PM EDT

Gold medalists Russian Olympic committee Sabre team celebrate on the podium during the medal ceremony for the women's Sabre team final medal competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 31, 2021, in Chiba, Japan. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Russian fencers beat France for women's team saber gold

Jul. 31, 2021 10:31 AM EDT

Sofia Pozdniakova, left, Hughs Sofya Velikaya of the Russian Olympic Committee as she celebrates after winning the gold at the women's individual Sabre final competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 26, 2021, in Chiba, Japan. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Fencer Pozdniakova wins Olympic gold in family tradition

By James Ellingworth Jul. 26, 2021 11:32 AM EDT

Hidilyn Diaz of Philippines celebrates as she competes and sets new world record and won the gold medal in the women's 55kg weightlifting event, at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 26, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Olympics Latest: Japan upsets China in table tennis

Jul. 25, 2021 08:57 PM EDT

Two Russian rowers out of Olympics after failing drug tests

Jul. 07, 2021 09:31 AM EDT
MOSCOW (AP) — Two Russian rowers have been removed from the squad for the Tokyo Olympics after failing drug tests, Russian officials said Wednesday. ...

A model displays the Olympic uniforms for Russian athletes in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, April 14, 2021. Russia presents its Olympic kit for the Tokyo Games, which shouldn't depict any symbols of the country. Russian athletes will compete at the Tokyo Olympics as neutral after the Court of Arbitration for Sport last December banned Russia from using its name, flag and anthem at any world championships for the next two years because of state-backed doping. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
Russia's flag banned but national colors on Olympic uniforms

Apr. 14, 2021 07:18 PM EDT

President of the Russian Olympic Committee Stanislav Pozdnyakov attends a news conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, March 25, 2021. Russia is proposing to use music by 19th-century composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky as its replacement anthem for the Tokyo Olympics, the president of the Russian Olympic Committee said Thursday. Russian athletes need a substitute anthem because of the two-year ban on Russia's team name, flag and national anthem from Olympics and world championships imposed in December by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
Russia wants Tchaikovsky music for anthem at Tokyo Olympics

Mar. 25, 2021 08:44 AM EDT

FILE - In this Nov. 28, 2019 file photo Olympic Rings and a model of Misha the Bear Cub, the mascot of the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games, left, are seen in the yard of Russian Olympic Committee building in Moscow, Russia. In the report detailing its decision to shorten Russia's ban from the Olympics, the highest court in sports blasted that country's leaders for engaging in “a cover up of the cover-up” in a desperate attempt to deny their culpability, but reduced the punishment nonetheless, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, file)
Russia's team name, flag agreed on for next 2 Olympics

By Graham Dunbar Feb. 19, 2021 09:46 AM EST

President of the Russian Olympic Committee Stanislav Pozdnyakov speaks during a news conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020. The Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed Russia's flag and anthem are barred from next year's Olympics in Tokyo and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing on Thursday. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
Russia claims victory with loopholes in Olympic sanctions

By James Ellingworth Dec. 17, 2020 01:04 PM EST

FILE - In this file photo dated Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, Russian National Anti-doping Agency RUSADA head Yuri Ganus speaks during a news conference in Moscow, Russia. Ganus was fired Friday Aug. 28, 2020, after his agency’s supervisory board recommended that the Russian Olympic Committee and Russian Paralympic Committee consider removing him because of alleged financial irregularities. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, FILE)
Outspoken head of Russian anti-doping agency fired

Aug. 28, 2020 08:38 AM EDT

Russia on verge of firing outspoken anti-doping agency CEO

Aug. 05, 2020 03:00 PM EDT
MOSCOW (AP) — The World Anti-Doping Agency said Wednesday it is “extremely concerned” about an effort to remove the outspoken chief executive of the Russian...

FILE - In this Friday, Feb. 28, 2020 file photo, Yevgeny Yurchenko speaks during a news conference after being elected as the new President of the Russian Athletics Federation in Moscow, Russia. The program allowing Russian track athletes to compete internationally will be frozen because the country's federation failed to pay a fine on time, World Athletics said Thursday, July 2. The Russian track federation (RusAF) owes a $5 million fine and another $1.31 million in costs for various doping-related work and legal wrangles. RusAF president Yevgeny Yurchenko earlier told the Tass state news agency that his federation's finances were damaged by the coronavirus pandemic and that it had asked for more time to pay. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, file)
Russian athletics president resigns amid doping stalemate

Jul. 13, 2020 12:03 PM EDT