USOC leader defends stance on Russian doping

The chairman of the U.S. Olympic Committee defended his support of the decision not to ban Russia’s entire team from the Rio Games.

The IOC rule barring Russian athletes with prior doping sanctions from competing in the games was also rejected as “unenforceable” by a sports arbitration panel, a decision which could open the door to further appeals and more Russians being entered.

FISA, however, ruled that Karabelshikova was ineligible because she did not meet IOC conditions for “reliable adequate worldwide tests”. A total of 19 rowers have been banned and only six will be competing, making up two crews.

National Olympic Committees were meant to propose candidates by September 15, last year, but Isinbayeva’s application, and four others, all came in later due to what the IOC has described as “some internal administrative issues”. That report resulted in the Russian track and field team being banned from global competition, and the worldwide Association of Athletics Federations extended that ban through the Olympics.

However, an all-inclusive list of the 118 Russian competitors banned from competing in Rio has not been made public.

Zhukov told reporters that no team has been drug tested as much as Russian Federation.

The IOC set up a panel of three executive board members to make the final call, taking into account the advice of an independent sports arbitrator.

Thomas Bach said that it was important not to deprive the chance for the Russian athletes to prove their innocence despite the damaging McLaren report on State-sponsored doping in the country.

“For clean athletes, I think the situation in Rio is tough to watch”, said Travis Tygart, head of the United States Anti-Doping Agency. “Rio is proud to be the Olympic capital of the world”, Nuzman said.

Appeals by some athletes are expected, even after the games begin.

However, WADA president, Craig Reedie, hit back telling International Olympic Committee delegates that although anti-doping systems weren’t flawless, not all of them were broken.