It may all come down to the lawyers.
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The decision comes one day after WADA released an independent report citing widespread, state-sponsored doping by Russian athletes at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
An independent inquiry commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency said the Russian sports ministry organized a “state-dictated failsafe system” of cheating by Russian athletes at the 2014 Winter Olympics and other major events hosted by Russia.
The IOC has also said it could let individual global sports federations decide on whether to ban Russians from their events in Rio, just as the IAAF has done by ruling track and field athletes from the games.
On Thursday (AEST), the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will rule on whether Russia’s athletics team can participate at Rio after it was banned in June. Russian media appeared resigned to a blanket ban in Rio.
Smith said time was running out for additional New Zealanders to fill spots in Rio that might open up following a Russian ban.
IOC’s president Thomas Bach had earlier stated that there would be need for the committee to look at this matter individually rather than a collective punishment to be meted out on the entire Russian team.
“The findings of the report show a shocking and unprecedented attack on the integrity of sport and on the Olympic Games”, Bach said. “However calling all of Russian Federation the nation of cheaters is going a little bit too far”.
Following an emergency conference on Tuesday, the IOC’s executive board said it would study the “legal options” regarding a prospective Russian Federation suspension.
“We are ready for cooperation with the IOC (International Olympic Committee) in this regard, but the sports movement, including the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), should assume personal responsibility as well”, Mutko added. Russia’s intelligence serve, the FSB, was also involved, the report said. Russia’s sports minister also suggested that Russia’s equivalent of the FBI would be opening an investigation into the report.
Staff including a deputy sports minister and Mr Mutko’s own anti-doping advisor were accused of directing which positive tests should be hidden, while Mr Mutko himself was accused of ordering a cover-up when a footballer tested positive.
As the International Olympic Committee investigates whether to ban Russian athletes from the 2016 Summer Olympics, FIFA hasn’t taken as strong of a stance in regards to the 2018 World Cup set to take place in Russia.
The summer sports federations prefer that doping allegations are handled on an individual basis.
A final decision would also depend on the WADA code and the Olympic Charter, the IOC said, giving an indication of the legal battle ahead.
It notes the legal mechanisms available to take action are highly complex and the important issue of collective responsibility vs individual justice must be balanced.
The International Association of Athletics Federations has already excluded the Russian track and field team from participation, although that decision is subject to appeal.
The IOC said on Tuesday it had started disciplinary action against officials mentioned in the report and that anyone implicated would not be given accreditation for Rio.
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The report confirmed allegations made by Grigory Rodchenkov, former head of the Moscow Anti-Doping Laboratory.
