Russian athletes plead to be allowed to compete in Rio

But Russian sports officials say the International Olympic Committee could still invite individual athletes to compete at the Games even if the IAAF rules to uphold Russia’s suspension.

The Wada report reveals that various obstacles were put in the way of its attempts to test Russian athletes in recent months, in conjunction with UK Anti-Doping (Ukad), including athletes providing military cities which require a lengthy application process to access as their location of whereabouts, athletes withdrawing from competition when doping control officers were present and even one athlete running away from officers after competing.

Earlier Wednesday, Russia ramped up its campaign Wednesday for its track and field team to be allowed to compete at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, contending it had met the conditions for reinstatement and saying it would be “obvious discrimination” to exclude athletes who have been not linked to doping.

The letter states that, in order to be allowed to compete, Russia’s track team would face extra drug testing and athletes who have served drug bans at any time would not be selected.

Russian Federation was suspended from all athletics competitions in November after an independent report from the WADA revealed widespread state-sponsored doping. The athlete then threw the container into the trash and tried to bribe the doping control officer.

When samples were sent overseas for testing, laboratories said the packages had been tampered with by Russian customs officers, WADA said.

The IAAF will decide whether Russian Federation has done enough to have the ban overturned at a meeting in Vienna on Friday.

“We ask you and the International Olympic Committee to take a humanitarian attitude to the many athletes whose fate is at stake and to take a balanced and wise decision”, the letter said. The entire project is created to transport more than 300,000 people a day, removing about 2,000 vehicles from the streets during peak rush hour.

Meanwhile, the athletes’ commission of the European Olympic Committees issued a statement Wednesday urging the IOC to keep drug cheats out of the games but suggesting that athletes who can show they are clean should be allowed to compete.