Lobintsev is a 27-year-old freestyle swimmer who has acknowledged using the medication meldonium, which is often used to treat heart issues, but only before it was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list at the start of this year.
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The attempted blanket ban placed on Russian athletes participating in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics by two worldwide bodies, the global Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and supported by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) – both seem to be dominated by officials of the Western bloc – has resulted in accusations of anti- Russian prejudices and the ban being contrary to the norms of accepted principles of justice. The two week Games, which will bring some 10,500 athletes from around the world, run from Aug 5 to 21. Other sports have banned individual Russians but not all of the eligible athletes.
Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko said yesterday he expected 266 athletes to compete. But boxing, golf, gymnastics and taekwondo have yet to announce the results of their inquiries.
The appeal by Morozov to CAS could hold up the final figure further.
Nikita Lobintsev took a silver medal in the 4×200 m freestyle relay at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and a bronze medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay at the 2012 Olympics in London.
“The final decision by the IOC Executive Board has been taken already”, said IOC spokesman Mark Adams when asked whether Stepanova’s renewed appeal would be reviewed.
Athletics was the first sport touched by the doping controversy.
The IOC has taken fierce criticism for not ordering a blanket ban on Russian Federation after an independent report said there was state-organised doping at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
Two Russian swimmers, Vladimir Morozov and Nikita Lobintsev, on Saturday launched the first challenge against the International Olympic Committee sanctions excluding them from the games.
“It has always been the case in the Olympics”.
“We’re talking about a threat and discrediting of the principles of equality, justice, mutual respect and the rights of so-called clean athletes, 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”.
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Apart from that, the International Olympic Committee ruled than no Russian athlete who has ever been sanctioned for doping will be allowed to take part in the Rio Olympics, even if they have served the sanction.
