Russian hackers claim to have stolen emails from the International Olympic Committee

The mascot of the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics.
(Image credit: LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images)

Russia hackers have apparently stolen emails from the International Olympic Committee, a move seemingly provoked by the organization's decision to ban Russia from participating in the 2018 Winter Games due its massive doping program, BuzzFeed News reports. The hackers call themselves "Fancy Bears," a reference to the well-known Russian-linked hacker group "Fancy Bear" as well as the mascot of the games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The emails, published Wednesday, allegedly "point to the fact that the Europeans and the Anglo-Saxons are fighting for power and cash in the sports world," Fancy Bears writes. Some of the emails include discussions about American athletes who had been cleared to take banned substances, such as Serena Williams (anti-inflammatories) and Simone Biles (ADHD medication). "For some Russians, news of American athletes being approved for such medicine was evidence of a scandalous double standard," BuzzFeed News writes.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.