This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation to attend the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, according to Russian media reports.
The state-run TASS news agency on September 16 quoted Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying Putin had accepted an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping “with delight.”
Lavrov was speaking following a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Dushanbe.
Following revelations of a long-running, state-sponsored doping program, Russian athletes were barred from competing at the Olympics and other major international competitions under the Russian flag and anthem until December 2022.
A Russian team will compete in Beijing under the name ROC, for Russian Olympic Committee.
Russian officials are also barred from receiving Olympic credentials unless they are invited by the head of state of the host nation.
Moscow has acknowledged shortcomings in its anti-doping procedures but has denied the existence of a state-organized doping program.
