U.S. Figure Skating President Sam Auxier has said Russian athletes should be banned from competing in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, citing massive doping allegations at the 2014 Sochi Games.
 
The Associated Press(AP) quoted Auxier as saying on Friday that the Russian athletes’ doping scandal was state-sponsored and should be subject to a stiff penalty.
 
He said the only way for the International Olympic Committee and the International Skating Union(ISU) to maintain any level of integrity is to "take a strong stand and weigh a strong penalty for those actions." Auxier said his national governing body is "very focused" on what steps the ISU will take.
 
AP noted that the World Anti-Doping Agency has secured evidence that doping test samples given by 12 Russian medal winners at the 2014 Sochi Olympics were tampered with.
 
The report went on to say that leaders from 19 national antidoping agencies have argued that Russia should be excluded from all international sports events, including next year's Winter Games in South Korea.