The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), imposed before the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

IOC statement - In a statement the IOC said that "The final notification of all remaining test results from the Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR) delegation has been received from the Doping-Free Sport Unit (DFSU).

“The IOC can confirm that all the remaining results are negative.

Therefore, as stated in the Executive Board decision of 25th February the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee is automatically lifted with immediate effect."

Earlier the president of the ROC Alexander Zhukov revealed that the IOC had reinstated his national olympic committee as part of the Olympic family. “The Russian Olympic Committee has had its rights fully restored,” said Zhukov in comments broadcast on Russian state TV.  “It’s a decision of the utmost importance for us.”

Automatic reinstatement - The Olympic governing body recommended lifting the disqualification on the condition the remainder of the doping probes of Russian athletes came out clean. “This was hugely disappointing and, in addition to other considerations, prevented the IOC from even considering lifting the suspension for the closing ceremony,” IOC President Thomas Bach said in presenting the recommendation to IOC members. Bach had said Russia’s Olympic status would be restored automatically once it was confirmed there were no other doping violations by Russian athletes at Pyeongchang.

Olympic ban - During the Winter Olympic Games in South Korea, the IOC voted to uphold the ban on Russia, citing two positive doping tests from Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR),  bobsledder Nadezhda Sergeeva and curler Alexander Krushelnitsky. As a result, the Russian athletes didn’t march under the Russian flag during the closing ceremony. All 168 Russian athletes had been competing at the Olympic Winter Games as neutral athletes. They couldn't wear national uniforms or have their anthem played at medal ceremonies. Russia was banned from the Olympic Games following allegations of state-sponsored doping at the previous Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014.

The bobsledder and curler were both disqualified and stripped of their results. In Krushelnitsky's case, he was forced to return his bronze medal.