The IWF said on its website that the multiple documented cases of doping among Russian weightlifters was shocking and disappointing and had damaged the integrity of the sport.
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The US Anti-Doping Agency said yesterday that Olympic medallist Nikita Lobintsev has tested positive for meldonium, the substance banned in the beginning of 2016.
WADA called on all Russians, set to compete at the Rio Games, to be banned but the International Olympic Committee stopped short of a blanket suspension and left it up to individual sports bodies to decide.
Russia’s eight weightlifting berths in the Olympics have been offered to other countries. “Therefore an appropriate sanction was applied in order to preserve the status of the sport”. For the women, Albania, Georgia and Moldova became eligible.
Most other sports federations have banned Russians with previous doping convictions and those named in McLaren’s report but have permitted those seen as clean to go to Rio.
An appeal is being prepared against World Rowing’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Russian Rowing Federation head Veniamin But told The Associated Press.
CHINESE Olympic-goers have been victims of “frequent” theft in Brazil, China’s foreign ministry said yesterday in a warning to its citizens overseas to take greater safety precautions ahead of the Rio Games.
There was good news for Russia on Friday when the Russian Taekwondo Union said it had received notification from the World Taekwondo Federation that all three of its entries could compete in Rio. “According to it, Sokolov and Sveshnikov (which basically means the entire cycle racing team) have been barred from the Rio Olympic Games, since their names are mentioned in Mr. McLaren’s report”.
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Nonetheless, the coach noted that banning these athletes from the Olympics is illegal, since they are not involved in doping scandals.
