“We have good news for the fans of the Russian Olympic team”, he said. Yuliya Stepanova, an 800 meter runner, told all about the systematic doping administered by the state to the Russian track and field team.
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They were asking for immediate approval to compete, which they have not been granted, but sport’s highest court has ruled against the IOC’s attempt to bar Russian Federation from entering any athlete who has been sanctioned before. The panel includes the Head of the IOC Medical Commission, Ugur Erdener from Germany; the Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission Claudia Bokel who is also a member of the IOC Executive Board; Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. who is also an IOC Executive Board Member, The Independent reported.
“The specific team member has now left the Olympic village”.
Other sports federations, however, such as boxing, had greenlighted full rosters of Russian athletes, leaving no need for legal appeals. It is unclear whether she will be competing for the Russian team or as an independent athlete.
CAS ruled that “unenforceable” on Thursday in the case of two Russian rowers but declined to obligate global federations and the IOC to allow them entry to the Games.
But he took a swipe at the total ban on Russia’s track and field team, which has robbed athletes like pole vault world record-holder Yelena Isinbayeva and 110m hurdles world champion Sergey Shubenkov of the chance to compete.
“We understand that the (International Olympic Committee) has discretion to invite whomever they choose to the Games”.
In July, the IAAF prohibited all Russian athletes from taking part in global competitions, including the upcoming Rio Olympics, over doping allegations.
A spokesperson for the International Olympic Committee said: ” Having discussed the matter and consulting with the chair of the Athletes’ Commission, the International Olympic Committee chose to accept the five candidatures.
The Efimova precedent gives hope to other Russian athletes who have been banned for previous disqualifications.
Stepanova had been cleared to compete by the world athletics federation, which praised her courage in the affair, but the International Olympic Committee refused to allow her to run in Rio due to her own doping past.
The IOC had tried to ban cheats from the Games in 2011 with its own “Osaka rule” – a suspension from the next Olympics for anyone with a six-month doping ban or longer – but that was also thrown out by CAS at the time.
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Cypriot weightlifter Antonis Martasidis and an unnamed Greek competitor have tested positive for banned substances and have been expelled from the Rio Olympics, their teams said on Friday. The IAAF has said Klishina, who is based in the United States, can compete as a “neutral athlete”. “I think this is absolutely unfair”. “You can not answer to a violation of a law by another violation of a law”.
