The Australian Olympic Commitee (AOC) has agreed with the International Olympic Committee's decision to ban Russia from sending a team to the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Some Russian athletes will be allowed to compete at Pyeongchang 2018 in certain circumstances under the name "Olympic Athlete from Russia" and will compete in uniform bearing that name, the IOC said.
The decision was reached after the IOC's 14-strong executive board received a recommendation from a disciplinary commission set up to investigate claims Russia conducted a state-sponsored doping programme that culminated at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.
Australia has welcomed the decision to prevent the ROC sending a team to Pyeongchang.
"This is an appropriate and considered response by the IOC, punishing those involved in the blatant cheating ... while allowing clean athletes to compete in Pyeongchang," Australian Olympic Committee chef de mission Ian Chesterman said in a statement on Wednesday.
The IOC also decided to suspend ROC president Alexander Zhukov as an IOC member given that his membership is linked to his position as ROC President.
Most of the indignation in Russia came from the presidents of winter sports federations, who slammed a decision they said was unjustified and demeaning.
"The IOC decision is offensive and insulting. It is completely unjustified," Alexei Kravtsov, president of the Russian Skating Union, said.
His counterpart at the Russian curling federation, lawmaker Dmitry Svishchev, accused the IOC of having succumbed to external pressure when making its decision.
"I consider that the IOC's decision is unprofessional," Svishchev said. "I am profoundly convinced that it was made under pressure. Someone needed Russia not to participate in the Games."
No accreditations to the Games would be given to the Russian ministry of sport, the IOC also announced and gave Vitaly Mutko, former Sports Minister and now Deputy Prime Minister, a life ban from the Olympics.
In response, Russian state television said on it would not broadcast the Games in the absence of Russia's national team.
