Russian Yevgenia Medvedeva, the Olympic figure skating gold-medal favorite, reportedly said in a speech to International Olympic Committee members that she “can not accept” competing in PyeongChang as a neutral athlete.
That comment came before the IOC announced that Russia is banned from the Winter Games, with clean Russian athletes allowed to compete as neutrals by invitation only.
Medvedeva reportedly said after Tuesday’s announcement that it was too early to answer whether she would skate in PyeongChang as a neutral athlete.
Her full speech is here, according to Russian media. A translation, according to Icenetwork.com, is here.
Medvedeva was the only active athlete with the Russian delegation at the IOC executive board meeting in Switzerland, led by Russia Olympic Committee president Alexander Zhukov.
She is not competing at this week’s Grand Prix Final due to a broken foot.
Medvedeva, 18, hasn’t lost in more than two years and won the last two world championships.
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