Rio de Janeiro will deliver a successful Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Sunday, despite delays in preparations, lack of funds and the country suffering from its biggest political and economic turmoil in decades.
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Russia swimmers challenge ban: 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.
“Imagine the situation if we would not have taken the decision [to admit Russian team]. The allegations about the Sochi lab, that the Russian Ministry of Sport has orchestrated such a system, there we have taken what preliminary measures that we could, so that no official from this Russian ministry of sport, starting with the minister, can be accredited here in Rio”. He said the Olympic Committee of Haiti chose him as flag bearer from a pool of 11 athletes representing a variety of sports, though he is the only wrestler.
After a conference call by its Executive Board on July 24, the IOC urged global federations for winter sports events to suspend preparations for major competitions in Russia. The panel will look into the case of each athlete already cleared to compete.
The IOC has said it is up to individual sports federations to determine every Russian athletes eligibility for the Games.
“I don’t think that this event will be damaging because people will realise that we have to take this decision”, he said.
Bach is known to enjoy a close relationship with President Putin and he was asked directly yesterday if his leniency was a result of pressure from his Russian political allies.
The report from WADA’s Commission stated in particular that the commission’s investigation registered a total of 643 cases of Disappearing Positive Test Results in Russian Federation between 2012 and 2015 involving athletes from 30 sports.
Bach also defended the IOC’s ban of whistleblower Yulia Stepanova from the Games.
“It was not easy”, he said. “We offered assistance and support which no other organization has so far offered”.
The Rio Olympics will run from August 5-21.
Security is high on a list of many problems – including the Zika virus, water pollution and slow ticket sales – confronting South America’s first Olympics.
Australia laptop, shirts stolen: A laptop and team shirts have been stolen from Australia’s accommodation at the Olympic athletes’ village while the building was being evacuated because of a small fire, the head of the team’s delegation at the Rio Games said Sunday.
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