The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has expressed disappointment that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) did not heed its recommendations to ban the Russian contingent from participating in the Rio Olympics starting on August 5.
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The IOC’s announcement means that Russian athletes “will be accepted by the IOC” in the Games if they are able to meet strict anti-doping rules, have no history of doping and have been given the go-ahead by their sporting federations.
Twelve days ahead of the start of Rio’s games, the committee announced the criteria that every Russian athlete must fulfill to compete.
That would dash the hopes of middle-distance runner Yulia Stepanova, the whistleblower and former drug cheat whose initial evidence led to one of the biggest doping scandals in decades.
“The ITF will also be seeking confirmation from WADA that none of those players, or the Russian Tennis Federation, were implicated in the McLaren report, in accordance with the International Olympic Committee decision”.
But swimming is not the only sport now vetting Russia’s entry list for Rio. “Does not send out a strong message that doping will not be tolerated”.
Anderson was asked if the International Olympic Committee decision would make it harder for the IPC to issue a blanket ban on Russian Federation?
“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”, Ley said in a statement on Monday. “The decision regarding Russian participation and the confusing mess left in its wake is a significant blow to the rights of clean athletes”.
“This result is one which is respecting the rules of justice and all the clean athletes all over the world”, he said. Stepanova, now living in the United States, competed as an individual athlete at last month’s European Championships in Amsterdam.
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said “the majority” of Russia’s team complies with the IOC criteria, and estimated “80 percent” of the team regularly undergoes global testing of the kind specified by the IOC.
Ex-swimmer Moss Burmester has slammed the IOC’s soft stance on Russian athletes. The Agency can confirm that the issue has been addressed directly with the ISSF and that there was no mistake or discrepancy in the McLaren Report in relation to the samples referenced. Specifically, for follow up as a matter of urgency, the Agency transferred names and relevant details related to athletes under their authority, which escaped sanctions due to the “Disappearing Positive” methodology described in the Report; and, that may be entered to compete at Rio 2016.
It accused the Olympic body of helping Russian Federation “save face” with a view to preventing further discord between it and the West.
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“I would like to reiterate the words [of Russian President Vladimir Putin] that the Russian side is ready if necessary to provide full cooperation with all organizations to conduct the required investigation in order to give answers to all current questions of these organizations”, Peskov said.
