The Latest: Olympians assured competitors will be 'clean'

The IOC Athletes' Commission is trying to assure the 3,000 Olympians entered in Pyeongchang that they will be competing against "clean athletes."

This stems from the chaos around Russia, which has seen many of its athletes banned from the Olympics for doping.

In an open letter on Wednesday to Olympians, the IOC Athletes' Commission says "we want to give you the assurance that every measure has been taken to ensure that you will be competing against clean athletes."

The International Olympic Committee is expecting 168 Russians to compete in Pyeongchang under the neutral banner of "Olympic Athletes From Russia." Dozens of Russian athletes have failed to pass IOC vetting.

The letter says "we believe it is important to respect and treat each of these athletes equally."

It also encouraged athletes to avoid distractions, saying, "We believe it is time for you to focus on your sport and what you have worked so hard for over the last few years."

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2:30 p.m.

Cases of norovirus at the Pyeongchang Games have officials scrambling on the eve of the biggest event in South Korea in years.

Olympics organizers say the norovirus spread began Sunday when private security workers staying in the Jinbu area of Pyeongchang started complaining of headaches, stomach pain and diarrhea.

About 1,200 people were kept in their rooms during tests for the contagious virus. Games organizers said Wednesday that 32 workers are being treated and are in quarantine.

Because the sick workers handled security, 900 military personnel have been brought in to work at 20 venues until the sick and sequestered can return to work.

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2:15 p.m.

Two Olympic gold medalists are among the latest group of 15 Russians who have launched an appeal seeking late entry to the Pyeongchang Olympics.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport says the 13 athletes and two coaches include cross-country ski gold medalist Alexander Legkov and skeleton gold medalist Alexander Tretiakov, as well as speedskating silver medalist Olga Fatkulina.

They were all banned last year over doping at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, but those verdicts were overturned at the CAS last week. They're now seeking to force the IOC to invite them to the Pyeongchang Games.

The court is already hearing a separate appeal by 32 Russians who were denied invites on what the IOC said was evidence linking them to past doping.

The court didn't say how quickly it will issue decisions.

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12:45 p.m.

Fifteen more Russians have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking to be admitted to the Pyeongchang Olympics.

They join 32 Russians who appealed a day earlier. John Coates, who heads the court, says decisions on some appeals are expected Wednesday.

Coates gave few details and did not give names of the Russians who appealed Wednesday. The games start Friday.

The 32 who appealed on Tuesday failed to pass mandatory International Olympic Committee vetting, which was imposed as a result of Russian doping at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee expects 168 Russian athletes to compete under the neutral banner of "Olympic Athletes From Russia." Hundreds more have been barred, and many have gone to court seeking entry, causing last-minute chaos.

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11:45 a.m.

Organizers of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics say they're having no problems raising cash.

International Olympic Committee member John Coates, head of the IOC coordination commission for Tokyo, says local organizers have raised $2.9 billion in national sponsorship money.

He provided the update to about 100 IOC committee members gathered in Pyeongchang for meetings prior to the games there, which start Friday.

Coates called the money-raising effort "extraordinarily successful." He says Tokyo now has 47 local sponsors, and this excludes long-term IOC sponsors like Bridgestone, Panasonic and Toyota.

The sponsorship money will help fund the $5.5 billion local operating budget, which Coates says is not expected to need public money.

The total cost of preparing the games is about $20 billion, with the rest of the money coming for the city of Tokyo and the national government.

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10 a.m.

The Pyeongchang Winter Olympics open in two days, but the issue of which Russians are in — and which are out — is dominating the agenda of IOC President Thomas Bach.

As Bach presides Wednesday over meetings with roughly 100 IOC members, the Court of Arbitration for Sport — sport's top legal body — is expected to decide appeals by 32 Russian athletes seeking spots in the Games.

The 32 failed to pass mandatory International Olympic Committee vetting, imposed as a result of Russian doping at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee expects 168 Russian athletes to compete under the neutral banner of "Olympic Athletes From Russia." Hundreds more have been barred, and many have gone to court seeking entry and causing last-minute chaos.