IOC gives Russians strident criteria for Rio games

Following the decision reached yesterday by the International Olympic Committee not to give a blanket ban to the Russian Olympic Committee in filling athletes for the forthcoming Rio Olympics, they have indeed set out a standard for athletes most especially any Russian athletes who has been deemed fit to participate in the forthcoming Rio games in Brazil. The Committee who had studied various reports indicting the ROC of malicious misconduct contrary to the rules of game, however made it clear that any Russian who fails to meet this conditions will not be allowed to participate in the August 12, 2016 Rio games.

The Russian sports federation has been accused by the World Anti-Doping Agency of supervising a government doping system which is believed to have been critical in the enhancement of all Russian athletes in previous international games, as such motives was conceal prior to the Rio games. The investigations followed a confession by a longtime director of Russia’s antidoping lab, Grigory Rodchenkov, who told The New York Times last spring in detail how Russian officials had perpetrated one of the most elaborate doping programs in sports history.

The IOC who however reached a decision yesterday after careful analysis and deliberation of the matter, reached a strident call if at all any Russian will be allowed to participate in the over 28 games that will be showcased at the Rio Olympics come August 12.


 After deliberating, the IOC EB decided:

1. The IOC will not accept any entry of any Russian athlete in the Olympic Games Rio 2016 unless such athlete can meet the conditions set out below.

2. Entry will be accepted by the IOC only if an athlete is able to provide evidence to the full satisfaction of his or her International Federation (IF) in relation to the following criteria:

 • The IFs*, when establishing their pool of eligible Russian athletes, to apply the World Anti-Doping     Code and other principles agreed by the Olympic Summit (21 June 2016).

 • The absence of a positive national anti-doping test cannot be considered sufficient by the IFs.

 • The IFs should carry out an individual analysis of each athlete’s anti-doping record, taking into account only reliable adequate international tests, and the specificities of the athlete’s sport and its rules, in order to ensure a level playing field.

 • The IFs to examine the information contained in the IP Report, and for such purpose seek from WADA the names of athletes and National Federations (NFs) implicated. Nobody implicated, be it an athlete, an official, or an NF, may be accepted for entry or accreditation for the Olympic Games.

 • The IFs will also have to apply their respective rules in relation to the sanctioning of entire NFs.

3. The ROC is not allowed to enter any athlete for the Olympic Games Rio 2016 who has ever been sanctioned for doping, even if he or she has served the sanction.

4. The IOC will accept an entry by the ROC only if the athlete’s IF is satisfied that the evidence provided meets conditions 2 and 3 above and if it is upheld by an expert from the CAS list of arbitrators appointed by an ICAS Member, independent from any sports organisation involved in the Olympic Games Rio 2016.

5. The entry of any Russian athlete ultimately accepted by the IOC will be subject to a rigorous additional out-of-competition testing programme in coordination with the relevant IF and WADA. Any non-availability for this programme will lead to the immediate withdrawal of the accreditation by the IOC.