Scrutiny on sport bodies as they decide ‘Russian’s fate’

Conflict of interest

MOSCOW/BELGRADE, July 27, (RTRS): The International Olympic Committee’s decision to let individual sport federations decide whether to ban Russians from the Rio games over doping has put Moscow’s links to the governing bodies under scrutiny.

In the latest announcement by a sport governing body, the head of the International Judo Federation told Reuters on Tuesday it would allow the Russian squad to compete.

The federation lists Russian President Vladimir Putin, a judo blackbelt, as its honorary president. One of Putin’s closest personal friends, his judo sparring partner Arkady Rotenberg, sits on the federation’s executive board and is head of a charity that has helped fund it. throughout his 16 years in power.

The governing body’s president, Vizer, said there could be no suggestion of a conflict of interest in his decision to allow the seven male and four female Russian competitors to take part in the Olympics.

“I never did any business in Russia, I don’t depend on Russia. In this world I only depend on myself and my highest values in this life are honour and dignity,” he said.

“Be sure that my decision is based only on my principles and the principles of our sport: honesty, fairness and integrity.” Vizer said that, as far as he could remember, the International Judo Fund, of which Putin’s friend Rotenberg is president, had not given the federation financial support since 2009 and that the money was ring-fenced for a specific project to develop