Olympic Leaders Reject Calls to Impose Complete Ban on Russia from Rio 2016 Games: Russian Athletes Can Participate by Proving They Have a Drug-Free Past
Russia will not suffer a complete ban from the Rio 2016 Olympics after its doping scandal. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has ruled on Sunday that Russian athletes will still be allowed to compete in the world's biggest festival of sports as long as they can prove that they have a drug-free record.
Respecting The Rules of Justice
According to the Denver Post, instead of a complete ban, IOC's executive board required all Russian athletes seeking entry to the Rio 2016 Olympics to comply strict criteria to prove that they are clean. The board also gave the responsibility to the individual global sports federations to decide who is qualified to compete among Russian athletes.
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IOC President Thomas Bach admitted that their decision would not please everyone on both parties. "But still, the result today is one which is respecting the rules of justice," he explained.
The Calls To Ban All Russian Athletes
The IOC's latest decision rejected calls from the World Anti-Doping Agency and other anti-doping bodies to bar all delegates from Russia after allegations of state-sponsored cheating surfaced. The IAAF, the world's governing body for track and field, has already ruled earlier to ban all track and field athletes from the country.
The calls to impose a blanket ban on Russia intensified after the report of Richard McLaren, a Canadian lawyer, who pinpointed the country's sports ministry as the mastermind behind the massive doping program of its Olympic athletes.
Russia President Vladimir Putin initially labeled the doping allegations as politically motivated. However, after the World Anti-Doping Agency presented solid evidences, Putin decided to suspend some of the officials involved.
IOC Under Fire For Its Decision
Travis Tygart, head of the US Anti-Doping Agency, told the Los Angeles Times that the IOC's decision implied that the committee refused to take decisive leadership. "The decision regarding Russian participation and the confusing mess left in its wake is a significant blow to the rights of clean athletes," he expressed.
UK Sports Minister Tracey Crouch also spoke to BBC to question the IOC's decision. Crouch said that McLaren's report provided solid evidences that should have been reciprocated with stronger sanctions.
While others are not happy with the IOC's decision, Russia's Minister of Sport Vitaly Mutko expressed his optimism. Speaking to The New York Times, he said that he is confident that "majority" of the Russian athletes would pass the criteria set by the IOC.
The Rio 2016 Olympics will open on Aug. 5. Games will start two days ahead of the opening ceremony.
