“We have good news for the fans of the Russian Olympic team: the majority of the sports have been admitted in full”, Alexander Zhukov said at a Thursday news conference.
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Many governments and national anti-doping organisations called for a blanket ban but the International Olympic Committee opted instead to let individual federations decide, before putting their lists in front of a three-person panel.
It means that more than two thirds of Russia’s initial entry list of 387 athletes will compete at the games.
Handball: Female Russian team is in (15 athletes), none are out.
Asked if the International Olympic Committee was being tough enough on Russia before the total number was announced Thursday, President Thomas Bach pointed to the process the Russian athletes needed to go through to be eligible to compete here.
But Elena Zamolodchikova, a two-time gymnastics gold medallist, said Russian Federation was determined to finish top-10 on the medals table, a position they have occupied since the 1950s.
“I would understand if it happened only with us. Knowing the Russian character, we will compete”.
The exclusion of almost a third of Russia’s athletes for their ties to a government-sanctioned doping program was a blow to Olympic integrity and will severely diminish Russia’s presence in several sports. We say that not so much out of concern for the results of the Games themselves, which are bound to provide the usual portion of thrills, chills – and accusations of various transgressions by participants and officials. “I think this is absolutely unfair”.
WADA called for a blanket ban on Russian athletes in Rio as a result but the International Olympic Committee initially opted to leave the decision up to the governing bodies of individual sports.
“We have informed the global federations and we need to inform the athletes and the NOC’s concerned before we can publish the final results, this procedure is underway”, said Bach, seemingly impervious to criticism about the shambolic run-up to the 31st Olympiad.
The respective governing bodies of athletics and weightlifting, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and the International Weightlifting Federation, had already decided that no Russian athletes will take part in their sports during the Games.
The final number of competitors allowed to participate will be revealed on Friday, he added, promising that Russian Federation would now be “the cleanest team” at Rio 2016.
Cleared athletes include the 11-strong boxing and judo teams, 30 volleyballers and beach volleyballers, and eight tennis players.
Before IOC made their announcement, Zhukov estimated that between 270 and 280 Russian athletes, roughly 70 percent, would be cleared.
“I can tell you that during my many, many visits to the Olympic Village I have been looking into the eyes of many athletes”.
Gymnastics training – Rio Olympic Arena – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 04/08/2016. In some cases, alternate teams or athletes from other countries were standing by in case of an opposite decision that could have opened up a spot in the competition.
World Sailing has also let a competitor initially banned back into the contest.
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But Zhukov said long jumper Darya Klishina will be able to compete.
