Former pistol champion Mikhail Nestruyev said Russian Federation expected to win “many” medals, adding that the troubled build-up had given them added incentive to do well. But it’s not the kind that will win any medals.
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After the review, the IOC declared in Thursday’s statement: “271 athletes will form the team entered by the Russian National Olympic Committee from the original entry list of 389 athletes”.
Russian whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova will not appeal against her ban from the Rio Olympic Games.
The Olympic Games are set to start in just hours and there’s one big question that remains unanswered – which Russian athletes will be allowed to compete?
“The Russian Rowing Federation has confirmed that they will not change the line up of the men’s four and Ivan Podshivalov will stay in Moscow”, FISA said on Friday. An IOC-appointed panel approved the final Russian roster. Yet the banned athletes include Yulia Stepanova, who blew the whistle on her country’s cheating.
“That process is now complete and confirmation has been received from the IOC Review Panel that the 11 Russian boxers are eligible to compete at Rio 2016”.
The 31st Summer Olympic Games, the very first for South America, are held in the resort city of Rio de Janeiro between August 5 and 21.
Long jumper Dariya Klishina will be the lone athletics competitor, although she will compete as an independent.
“The aforementioned member of the Greek Olympic team has left the Olympic Village”.
There were similar howls of derision in Britain, where many had called for a blanket ban on Russian Federation in Rio. There is no clarity with some rowers, but now they will be completely tested, ” R-Sport cites Zhukov as saying.
Thomas Bach, said that it was important not to deprive the the Russian athletes the chance to prove their innocence, despite the damaging McLaren report on State-sponsored doping in the country.
Five athletes – three track cyclists, a wrestler and a canoeist – are still waiting to hear if they can take part.
Anti-doping specialist Fritz Soergel meanwhile called it “a victory for Bach but not for honest sports”.
Initial results from that probe, authored by Richard McLaren, were released two weeks ago.
The investigation delays allowed the International Olympic Committee president to claim that once the agency reported on its findings last month, the International Olympic Committee didn’t have enough time to determine whether it should ban all Russian teams, Robertson says in an interview with investigative journalism website Pro Publica and the BBC.
Many British newspapers also took aim at the IOC, Bach, Russia and its President Vladimir Putin.
WADA spokesperson, Ben Nichols, told CNN Wednesday, meanwhile, that his organization had been consistent in recommending an all-out ban that was supported widely by governments, athletes and the public.
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Individual athletes can appeal the IOC’s decision in last-minute challenges.
