Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko says Russian athletes whose doping bans were lifted deserve to be treated as "clean and honest" at the Pyeongchang Olympics.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Thursday reinstated 28 Russians who had been disqualified from the Sochi Olympics in 2014 and lifted their life bans from the games. Other 11 Russians remained disqualified.

Mutko tells The Associated Press the 28 athletes cleared by CAS "are clean and honest, so give them the chance to compete at the Olympics."

Russia wants to send 15 of the 28 athletes to Pyeongchang but the International Olympic Committee has yet to issue invitations. Some of the athletes have already retired.

Mutko says that despite years of doping scandals, "all of the athletes have gone (to Pyeongchang) fired up to compete."