Russia escape Olympic ban

July 24, 2016

Russia have escaped a blanket ban from the Rio Olympics.

The IOC announced that the decision on athlete’s eligibility will go down to the International Federations (IFs) – a challenging prospect for the IFs with only 12 days until the Games.

Russia’s full Olympic team would consist of 387 competitors.

The IOC were acting after the evidence of the McLaren report: which outlined systematic, state sponsored doping by the Russians between 2012 – 2015. WADA had recommended Russia by suspended from the Games.

 Many anti-doping advocates were disappointed in the IOC for not enforcing an all out ban.

The IOC instead ruled that no Russian ever found guilty of doping can compete in Rio, and that they must have undergone anti-doping testing outside of Russia.