Olympics: 271 Russian athletes to be allowed into Rio Games

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – The International Olympic Committee on Thursday, August 4 approved 271 Russian athletes to take part in the Rio Games after a major doping review eliminated 118 competitors.

Russia, accused of operating a huge state-orchestrated doping system, will now have its smallest Olympic team for more than a century for the Games which start on Friday.

Russian Olympic Committee president Alexander Zhukov said the team was “probably the cleanest in Rio” because of all the tests and checks they have undergone.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport is still hearing some Russian cases so the number could rise.

But the IOC said “rigorous” extra testing would be imposed on Russians allowed into the Games.

“Any non-availability for this programme will lead to the immediate withdrawal of the accreditation by the IOC.”

Russia entered 389 athletes for the Games. But a report for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) blamed the Russian sports ministry and secret service of running the doping programme and set off the biggest doping scandal in Olympic history.

The IOC ordered individual federations to decide which athletes are clean enough to compete and their final lists were vetted by a 3-member IOC panel.

Two Russian swimmers named in WADA’s bombshell McLaren report were included among a 31-strong squad for the Olympics, world swimming body FINA said.

Canoeist Andre Kraitor was also put back in the team after winning an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Thursday. – Rappler.com