MOSCOW, December 10. /TASS/. Russia’s ski jumping team has unanimously voted for taking part in the 2018 Olympic Games in South Korea’s PyeongChang under the neutral falg, President of the Russian Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Federation Dmitry Dubrovsky told TASS on Sunday.

"Members of the Russian ski jumping team held a general meeting and unanimously voted to taking part in the Olympic Games under the neutral flag. I think our Nordic combined athletes share this opinion. They simply cannot gather together now. Moreover, the presidium of our federation on Friday spoke in favor of participation of our athletes in the 2018 Olympics. We informed the Association of Olympic Winter Sports about our position," he said.

"Our sport discipline has little to do with politics. We have enrolled support from both the international and many national federations. I think competing under the neutral flag will be an extra responsibility for our athletes," he noted.

On December 5, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced its decision to suspend the Russian Olympic Committee’s membership over multiple doping abuse allegations, thus banning the Russian national team from taking part in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea’s PyeongChang under the national flag. The IOC accused Russia of systematic abuse of anti-doping rules at various sporting events, including the 2014 Sochi Olympics. The IOC vowed however to observe the rights of clean athletes. Those who match the proposed criteria may be invited to the 2018 Games as "Olympic athletes from Russia," under a flag with five colored rings, it said.

The upcoming Olympics, which are 23rd Winter Games, will take place in South Korea’s PyeongChang on February 9-25, 2018.