British Olympic Association support IOC ban of Russia from 2018 Winter Olympics

'We take no pleasure in the outcome of the IOC Commissions,' BOA Chairman Sir Hugh Robertson said. 'However, the IOC has taken the right decision'

The Russian flag and anthem will be absent from next year’s Winter Games (Getty)

The British Olympic Association has expressed its support for the International Olympic Committee's decision to effectively ban Russia from competing at Pyeongchang 2018.

The IOC confirmed on Tuesday that only those Russian athletes with a “clean” doping record, invited at the discretion of the governing body, would be permitted to compete at the games under a neutral status.

The decision follows 17 months of investigations into claims more than 1,000 athletes, across 30 sports, took enhanced substances to improve their performances between 2011 and 2015 as part of a state-sponsored doping programme.

IOC President Thomas Bach condemned the programme, which reached spy-novel proportions at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, where Russia 'won' a record 33 medals, as an “unprecedented attack on the integrity of the Olympic Games and sport”.

Speaking in the wake of Tuesday’s announcement, BOA Chairman Sir Hugh Robertson said the decision marked a “seminal moment in the battle against doping”.

“We take no pleasure in the outcome of the IOC Commissions,” he said. “However, the IOC has taken the right decision.

“We believe this to be a seminal moment in the battle against doping, particularly when it is systematic and widespread, and must acknowledge the role of the IOC and WADA in moving to restore the integrity of Olympic sport.”

The BOA Athletes’ Commission Chairman Ben Hawes added: “Based on the findings of the independent reports commissioned by the IOC we believe this ban is the correct and appropriate outcome. We are optimistic this decision will send a clear message to both athletes and officials who have cheated.

Sir Hugh Robertson said the decision marked a “seminal moment in the battle against doping” (Getty)

“Our disappointment still remains for those athletes robbed of medals and precious moments in Sochi 2014 and other Olympic Games.”

The decision has been similarly welcomed by numerous figures from the world of athletics. Former British bobsledder John Jackson said the IOC was right to ban Russia from Pyeongchang but argued it was “fair and justifiable” to allow “clean” athletes to compete at the Games.

"I always said the IOC should ban Russia as a nation and their flag should not be seen in Pyeongchang, but any athlete who can prove they are clean should be allowed to compete,” he said.

"It is going to be quite difficult to prove or disprove their eligibility but as an athlete, all you can ask is that you are allowed to compete on a level playing field to everyone else."

America's Max Antoine, a bronze medallist at the 2014 Winter Games, thanked the IOC for preserving the integrity of the Olympic Games. "For as critical as I’ve been of the IOC's handling of this issue, ultimately they got it right," he said. "I, and athletes around the world, thank you for preserving the integrity of Olympic competition.”

Kelly Sotherton of Great Britain was less forthcoming in her response to the IOC's decision, though. Tweeting a photo of herself finishing fifth in the heptathlon at Beijing 2008, the 41-year-old said: "This would have been the moment I knew I had won a medal. Instead looking on, knowing 2 athletes ahead of me cheated their way to Olympic medals. Will never get those few moments back, ever."

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is expected to respond in the next 24 hours to the IOC’s decision, with the possibility that Russia will decide to boycott the Winter Olympics and withdraw any competitors from taking part as authorised neutral athletes, an option he had previously described as a "humiliating compromise".