McEvoy couldn’t care less whether his rival Morozov is cleared to race

AUSTRALIA’S Olympic sprint freestyle hope Cameron McEvoy remained unfazed over a possible ban of Russian rival Vladimir Morozov, whose Rio hopes were in limbo along with those of compatriot Nikita Lobintsev.

Morozov and Lobintsev were among the Russians implicated in the report detailing evidence of a state-backed system of covering up doping in the country and banned from the Games by swimming governing body FINA.

They took their cases to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but FINA on Tuesday denied reports out of Moscow that both had been cleared to compete, saying the final decision would rest with an International Olympic Committee (IOC) commission to review Russian entrants.

“Both athletes were named in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) IP Report,” FINA said.

“The two athletes filed an appeal to CAS and FINA understand that this court has forwarded the case to the IOC three-person commission for final decision.”

Earlier, the pair’s lawyer told Russia’s TASS news agency that they had been cleared by FINA after successfully appealing to the CAS.

McEvoy, fastest man in the world this year in the 100m freestyle, said he wasn’t concerned about the outcome of the second-ranked Morozov’s appeal.

“The impact all this stuff has on my preparation is virtually nil,” he said.

“Regardless of what happens I’m still going to rock up to the pool and do whatever session my coach gives me.

“I’m going to be behind that block for whatever races I’m in, I’m going to do the same – the same race plan the same strategy and absolutely nothing changes, regardless of any decision outside of my own little bubble.”