MOSCOW, Feb. 5 -- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Monday denounced the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to bar 15 Russian athletes from the Winter Olympic Games as shameful, unfair and unlawful.

"The IOC commission has taken a shameful decision," Medvedev wrote on Facebook, adding, "This decision is unfair, unlawful, and it was immoral and politicized."

The IOC invitation review panel earlier on Monday decided not to invite to the PyeongChang Winter Games 15 Russian athletes who were previously banned for life from Olympics for violation of anti-doping regulations, though the ban was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Thursday.

"By refusing to allow the athletes to perform at PyeongChang, whose appeals have been upheld by the CAS, a court that has been created for dealing with disputes related to sport, the IOC commission has trampled down the Olympic Charter and elementary principles of law," Medvedev posted.

The IOC has argued that as yet unpublished new evidence -- not examined in the CAS process -- has given rise to new doping suspicions about the 15 athletes.

Medvedev said the "purpose of this decision is very far away from sports," aimed to cause "political harm" to Russia.

【体坛英语资讯：IOC decision on Russian athletes shameful: Russian PM】相关文章：

★ 体坛英语资讯：Sun hopes to shine again in doubles

★ 体坛英语资讯：China Open: Gonzalez hard tested, host players out

★ 体坛英语资讯：Chinas Yi takes NBA rookie honour

★ 体坛英语资讯：Federer, Jankovic reach second round of French Open

★ 体坛英语资讯：Spurs cruise past McGrady-less Rockets

★ 体坛英语资讯：Barcelona defeats Beijing Guoan 3-0 in 1st game of Asia tour

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Nicole Kidman describes paparazzi chase

★ 体坛英语资讯：From dark horse to freestyle favorite

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Lily Allen to strip for lingerie line

★ 体坛英语资讯：Kenyans dominate track events in Osaka