The almost US$3 million Olympic Boulevard in Rio’s redeveloped port district will feature three stages with live music, large screens showing the the sport and has more than 230 street art performances and nightly firework displays lined up. “I know this means a great deal to him and we’re all excited for him”.
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The exact number of Russian’s who will be allowed to compete will be finalized at the end of the week, but there will be no way back for the vast majority of Russia’s track and field athletes, with everyone, except long jumper Darya Klishina, excluded from participating in Rio.
Russian Olympic Committee President Alexander Zhukov, center, passes through Russia’s National Olympic team members during the ceremony before Russian team’s departure for Rio Olympics, in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo, Russia, Thurs…
Some Russian athletes had flown to Rio in advance of the main delegation, including gymnasts and swimmers.
There was better news for Rio organisers in the arrival overnight of Jamaican sprinting superstar Usain Bolt, who hopes to defend his multiple gold medals.
Two-time Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva did not compete, explaining that her legal battle against athletics authorities over the ban had not allowed her to adequately prepare.
Shlyakhtin said that the federation was not planning on holding any meets during Rio, rejecting the Cold War-era practice of holding alternative sporting events during the Olympic boycotts of 1980 and 1984. “Time will show those people who suspended us”.
A much smaller-than-expected Russian Olympic team left Thursday for Rio de Janeiro after dozens of athletes were barred in the middle of the country’s doping scandal.
A further three cyclists were withdrawn from the team by Russia’s Olympic committee because they have previously been sanctioned for doping.
The track team did, however, attend the ceremonial farewell with Putin on Wednesday, when the Russian president branded restrictions on Russia “pure discrimination”.
“The UCI is absolutely committed to protecting the rights of clean athletes at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and beyond”, the UCI statement concluded.
That formed the basis for the first independent WADA report last November, which led to the current ban on Russian track and field athletes from competing internationally.
“20 minutes ago I received a negative answer from the Secretary of the IAAF”, the Russian wrote.
Isinbayeva corrected reports on Thursday suggesting she might be the Russian team’s flag bearer in Rio, despite not being able to compete.
The Australian gymnastics team are awaiting a decision by the global federation (FIG) on Russian athletes to see if they will replace them, while the women’s eight rowing crew has been handed a berth in place of a banned Russian team. He added, however, that he was not sure how that compares to how often athletes from other countries get tested.
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TRIATHLON – The International Triathlon Union has cleared all six Russian athletes for the Rio Games.
