The Games’ governing body has faced growing calls to exclude the country from Rio following the damning evidence of widespread state-sponsored doping by Russian athletes at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
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Amid widespread agonising within the International Olympic Committee over how to handle its biggest doping scandal, the final verdict could come less than 10 days from the Rio opening ceremony on August 5. A week later, Russian athletics chief and IAAF treasurer Valentin Balakhnichev, and IAAF marketing consultant Pape Massata Diack, son of then-IAAF president Lamine Diack, step down while corruption and doping allegations are investigated by IAAF’s ethics commission.
When the scheme was revealed by the former director of the laboratory, who had fled Russia, WADA commissioned Mr. McLaren to head an investigation. In part, by making false assertions that athletes’ tests were clean, according to Monday’s report. Diack also charged with money laundering and conspiracy.
A day before a sports court rules on Russia’s appeal against the ban on its track and field team from the Olympics, star Russian athletes at a meet near Moscow pondered how they will react if they lose their case and can’t go to Rio de Janeiro.
The IAAF’s 26-strong council subsequently suspends the Russian athletics team.
Pound said he was encouraged Wada’s investigations into Russian Federation had progressed to a stage where a complete ban was being talked about.
It also said it would be reviewing all testing of Russian rowers since 2011 and asking the International Olympic Committee for guidance on the possible reallocation of Rio slots to other nations, as the official deadline of July 18 has passed.
Football world governing body FIFA will take “appropriate next steps” when it receives further information from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) following a report into doping in Russian Federation.
“It puts a lot of pressure on us”, said Koneva, who herself once served a two-year doping ban.
In light of the report, IOC president Thomas Bach said: “The findings of the report show a shocking and unprecedented attack on the integrity of sport and on the Olympic Games”. The list includes Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko.
This would ease those concerned by the potential unfairness of a collective punishment, appease a nation that hosts more major sports events than any other and probably allow those Russians that get through the vetting process to compete in Russian colours, and not as “neutral athletes” under an Olympic banner. “Participation at the Olympic Games is the highest goal of athletes who often sacrifice their entire youth to this aim”. Klishina later tells AFP that she has been branded a traitor back home. Instances of cheating were found in 28 sports.
Russia’s athletics team is already banned from Rio 2016 following a decision by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach describes the revelations as “a shocking and unprecedented attack” on sport.
The IOC also said it would have to study the bombshell report by Canadian law professor Richard McLaren which detailed the Russian cheating, organized by the Sports Ministry and using the FSB intelligence service.
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The Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport will pass its verdict on a lawsuit filed by the Russian Olympic Committee in which it challenged a discriminatory principle, which the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) had used in considering the athletes’ individual bids for participation in international competitions, such as a requirement to reside overseas.
