The worldwide archery federation has approved the entry of three Russian archers for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro after determining they have no links to doping.
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“I think in this way, we have balanced on the one hand, the desire and need for collective responsibility versus the right to individual justice of every individual athlete”, IOC President Thomas Bach said on a conference call.
Rather than issue a blanket ban, the IOC delegated the decision on whether to allow Russian athletes to compete to the 28 worldwide Olympic sport federations.
The IWF said no Russian weightlifter sanctioned for doping will be allowed to compete – even if they had already served their suspension – and that it is waiting for evidence from the Russian athletes entered for Rio before making its decision.
But after the latest report, the International Olympic Committee made a decision to prevent any Russian athletes with a previous record of doping from attending the Games.
It said the McLaren Report has showed anti-doping rules were “not properly applied” by Russian authorities.
In one of the most momentous moves in its long, chequered history, the International Olympic Committee said Sunday it was up to each international sports federation to decide if Russians could take part in Rio.
However, he didn’t rule out such action from individual athletes, and judging by the 2011 ruling Russian athletes could be successful. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the International Olympic Committee decision “positive”.
But the complex screening process must be carried out for the 387 athletes nominated for Rio by the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) before the Games start on August 5.
Apparently all reigning Olympic all-around champion Gabby Douglas needed to overcome a so-so performance at Olympic Trials is quality time with national team coordinator Martha Karolyi.
Stepanova was sanctioned for doping in 2013 and has always claimed she was trapped in a Russian system and had no choice but to comply. That’s why we have the World Anti-Doping Code.
“His treatment of Yuliya reveals that his real priority is not clean sport but keeping close to (Russian president) Vladimir Putin”.
The decision to ban Stepanova from running, and yet invite her as a guest, was roundly criticised by anti-doping experts and investigative journalists who have heralded the Stepanovs’ contribution to exposing what many believe to be sport’s worst doping scandal.
Iljukov says some governments seem reluctant to finance their countries’ drug-testing agencies, fearful of what they might find.
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“The fight against doping in sport requires strong worldwide leadership, none more so in this case, where the integrity of an entire Olympic and Paralympic Games is at stake”, added Australian Sports Minister Sussan Ley.
