Instead of an outright ban on Russian participation, as the World Anti-Doping Agency had urged, the IOC will impose a convoluted case-by-case review of Russian athletes, carried out by the 28 global federations that govern each Olympic sport.
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McLaren said his ongoing investigation includes developing evidence which may be used in the future to sanction individual athletes.
Speaking just hours before the IWF’s decision was announced, he told Press Association Sport: “My personal opinion is if anyone has served a drug ban in any sport, they shouldn’t have the right to be able to compete in the greatest show on earth”.
The final number expelled will be determined by independent arbiters appointed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Two Russian swimmers have made an appeal over their ban from Rio, saying they have never failed a doping test.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) had recommended all Russian athletes be banned from the Games, but weightlifting and athletics are the only sports to have imposed a blanket ban on Russian competitors.
Tomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, center, Rio de Janeiro’s Mayor Eduardo Paes, left, and Carlos Arthur Nuzman, president of the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee visit the Orla Conde, the place that.
The track team did, however, attend the ceremonial farewell with Putin on Wednesday, when the Russian president branded restrictions on Russia as “pure discrimination”.
Some Russian athletes had flown to Rio in advance of the main delegation, including gymnasts and swimmers.
Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko on Friday told local media that 272 of the country’s athletes had been approved by worldwide sports federations, out of an original team of 387, adding that the number could rise.
“The final decision by the IOC Executive Board has been taken already”, said IOC spokesman Mark Adams when asked whether Stepanova’s renewed appeal would be reviewed. Testing in Russian Federation does not count under International Olympic Committee rules because of the repeated allegations made against Russia’s drug testing agency and national lab, both of which have been suspended.
In justifying its actions against Russia, the IWF said retests of samples from seven Russian weightlifters who took part in the 2008 Beijing Olympics or 2012 London Olympics resulted in positive tests, and more were expected.
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Russias national team was greeted by Russias consulate general in Rio and compatriots in Brazil as they landed at Galeao International Airport.
