The head coach of Russia’s national team, Yuri Borzakovsky, announced Wednesday that Russian Federation will host its own tournament for all the athletes who were banned from competing at the Rio Olympics next month because of doping violations that resulted from a lengthy investigation conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency. “It’s a well-planned campaign which targeted our athletes, which included double-standards and the concept of collective punishment which has nothing to do with justice or even basic legal norms”.
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“We’re after medals, that’s it”, handball player Anna Sen said.
The latest doping scandal to rock Olympic and Russian sport was triggered this month by Canadian law professor Richard McLaren for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), whose report detailed an elaborate doping system directed by the Moscow sports ministry and used in more than 30 sports over four years. “Clearly, the absence of Russian athletes who were leaders in some of the sports will affect the competition”. “In essence, this is a revision or at least an attempt to revise the ideas of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games”. Speaking at a farewell event for Russia’s Rio-bound Olympians in Moscow, the Russian President said the absence of athletes from the world’s largest country would also diminish the competition.
At the same time, Putin promised to work with the global community to fight doping, noting the anti-doping commission he announced last week.
Two-time gold medallist pole vaulter Isinbayeva was seen breaking down in tears. Other sports, such as judo and tennis, have allowed the entire Russian team to compete in their sport. Russian Athletics announced a Stars 2016 tournament in Moscow that will feature the athletes banned from competing in Rio, including the hurdler Sergey Shubenkov and the high jumper Maria Kuchina.
Russia’s National Olympic team members attend the farewell ceremony before Russian team’s departure to Rio Olympics, in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo, Russia, Thursday, July 28, 2016. At least 105 athletes from the 387-. Hiding behind the right of individual athletes not to be lumbered with collective responsibility for a state sponsored doping programme, the International Olympic Committee want us to believe they have defended due process against the mob. It also said it’s now happy with its rooms at Rio’s Olympic Athletes Village.
On Wednesday, the International Triathlon Union gave the all-clear to the six Russian triathletes and the International Fencing Federation approved Russia’s 16-member fencing team. These rulings must still be ratified by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
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R-Sport News Agency reported that the country’s volleyball teams had also been given the green light, while Vasily Titov, vice-president of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) told R-Sport that Russian gymnasts could also participate.
