Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR) Invitation Review Panel discusses objectives and methodology

The members of the Invitation Review Panel held its first meeting yesterday. The Invitation Review Panel will determine a list of athletes, support staff and officials to be provided to the IOC for possible invitation to the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.

Composition of the Invitation Review Panel:

Following the decision of the IOC Executive Board (EB) decision (link) on 5 December the composition of the Invitation Review Panel is as follows:

Dr Valérie Fourneyron, ITA Chair, Chair of the Invitation Review Panel

Mr Günter Younger, Head of WADA Intelligence and Investigations Department

Mr Pedro Gonçalves, GAISF DFSU Project Manager, in charge of the Pre-Games Task Force secretariat

Dr Richard Budgett, IOC Medical and Scientific Director

Remit of the Invitation Review Panel:

Determine the list of qualified Russian athletes that can be considered as clean and provide this list to the OAR Implementation Group (OARIG) for consideration for an invitation place; and

Determine the list of support staff and officials and provide this to the OARIG for consideration for an invitation place.

Working methodology of the Invitation Review Panel:

The Invitation Review Panel will decide on the criteria, in accordance with the IOC EB decision, to determine the list of the athletes, support staff and officials to be provided to the OARIG for consideration for an invitation. The basis for these criteria was outlined in the decision by the IOC EB last week.

Based on an initial proposed list of athletes, support staff and officials provided by the suspended Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), the Invitation Review Panel will review the individuals to be considered for invitation.

The Invitation Review Panel will draw on any available information from WADA, the DFSU and the IOC to make its recommendations.

a. This is an ongoing process resulting in a number of decisions over a period of time in the run-up to the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. It will be dependent on final qualification and the entry dates of each sport and discipline.

b. Simultaneously, the invitation request list will be reviewed by the IOC Sports Department in collaboration with POCOG Sport Entries and the relevant International Federations, to determine the qualification and entries status.

OAR Implementation Group

Additionally, the IOC has already established the OAR Implementation Group (OARIG), which is responsible for final approvals of possible invitations to be extended to all athletes, support staff and officials based on the list and details provided by the Invitation Review Panel.

Composition of the OAR Implementation Group:

Ms Nicole Hoevertsz, IOC EB Member, Chair of the OAR Implementation Group

Ms Danka Bartekova, IOC Athletes’ Commission Member

Mr Christophe De Kepper, IOC Director General

The OARIG will not have the authority to add any names to the list submitted by the Invitation Review Panel but will be able – at its sole and absolute discretion – to withdraw names.

Deadlines

The Invitation Review Panel will submit to the OARIG a list of athletes, support staff and officials for its consideration with supporting analysis and information. The OARIG will confirm the final list of athletes, support staff and officials with the relevant International Federations sport by sport before the Sports Entries Deadline (28 January 2018).

The principles used by the Invitation Review Panel to determine the list of athletes to be submitted to the OARIG for consideration for an invitation place are included in the IOC EB decision. The determination of support staff and officials will also be based on this decision.

Communication

To protect the rights of the persons involved, the IOC cannot comment on any individual cases but will communicate the invitation list in due course.

Working meeting between the IOC administration and a Russian delegation

Today in Lausanne, the IOC administration also informed a Russian delegation about the implementation of the decision of the IOC EB.

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