Russia’s eight-member weightlifting team was kicked out of the games on Friday for what the worldwide federation called “extremely shocking” doping results that brought the sport into “disrepute”.
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A ban on all Russian weightlifters dealt a new blow to the country ahead of an International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting Saturday that will be dominated by multiple doping scandals.
Earlier this month the International Association of Athletics Federations upheld the ban of all Russian track and field athletes from Rio except a long jumper allowed to compete under a neutral flag.
Meanwhile, the IOC has said a three-member IOC panel will have the final say on which Russian athletes can compete at the Rio Games, reviewing all decisions taken by the global federations. Currently, according to Russia’s sports minister, 272 of the original 387 athletes are still scheduled to compete in the Games as of now.
Russian Federation says its taekwondo team has been approved to compete at the Rio Olympics against the backdrop of the country’s doping scandal. At the same time, the International Olympic Committee is barring the participation of Yulia Stepanova, a Russian athlete who was one of the primary whistleblowers on Russia’s state-sponsored doping.
Chiller, however, feels Australian athletes should avoid getting distracted by the Russian doping situation when they are in Rio de Janeiro.
Stepanova’s hopes of running at the Olympics, which start next week, as an independent athlete where dashed when the International Olympic Committee ruled earlier this month that no Russian with a doping background could take part. The eight competition spots were offered to other countries.
“They are doing their job and it’s important I stick to mine, focus on getting ready and winning those gold medals”.
Russian Federation is to launch a last-ditch legal bid to reinstate 19 of its rowers who were banned from the Rio Olympics because of insufficient drug testing.
Morozov and Lobintsev were among seven Russians banned by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) last week after the order.
Three-time Olympic canoeing champion Katalin Kovacs of Hungary is retiring after failing to qualify for the Rio Olympics.
“That’s treachery and cynicism of the highest grade and I think it highlights the crisis in world sports and the worldwide Olympic movement”, Yeryomin said.
The panel will examine each case individually and make the “final decision” before Friday, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said late on Saturday.
“I’ll be encouraging all our team members in all our sports to focus on their own performance”.
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Eight Russian weightlifters were scheduled to compete in the games.
