FINA rules 7 Russian swimmers ineligible over doping violations
MOSCOW — Seven Russian swimmers have been barred from the Summer Olympics at Rio de Janeiro, including three linked to recent allegations of a major doping coverup by Russian authorities, world swimming’s governing body FINA said Monday.
Reigning world 100-meter breaststroke champion Yulia Efimova is among four Russian swimmers withdrawn by the Russian swimming federation because they previously served doping bans, FINA said. The others are Natalya Lovtsova, Anastasia Krapivina and Mikhail Dovgalyuk.
The International Olympic Committee on Sunday said Russian athletes with previous doping bans would be banned from the Rio Games. That followed the IOC’s decision not to ban the entire Russian team over allegations of state-sponsored doping.
FINA said three more swimmers were identified by World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren when he examined evidence that Russian government officials ordered the coverup of hundreds of doping tests. They are 2008 Olympic silver and 2012 bronze medalist Nikita Lobintsev, bronze medalist Vladimir Morozov and world junior record holder Daria Ustinova.
Alexander Zhukov, Russia’s top Olympic official, told Russian agency R-Sport that he believed a total of 13 Russians would be ineligible because of previous doping bans. They would be withdrawn from the team, he added. The 13 are likely to include athletes in swimming, cycling, weightlifting, wrestling and rowing.
On Sunday, the IOC’s executive board asked individual global sports federations to decide on the entry of Russian athletes, and announced new eligibility criteria.
Whistleblower appeals to IOC
Russian doping whistleblower Yulia Stepanova is appealing her ban from the Summer Olympics, saying it was based on incorrect information and dubious legal grounds.
Stepanova sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee contending she never said she wouldn’t compete for the Russian team, as the IOC stated. The IOC would not make any exception for her to compete under a neutral flag.
She said the IOC’s ban of any Russian athlete who previously has served a doping ban is not permitted — a ruling the Court of Arbitration for Sport made in 2011.
Stepanova was an 800-meter runner who got caught for doping but later came forward to expose the Russian doping system.
Both the World AntiDoping Agency and track’s governing body, the IAAF, recommended she be allowed in the Olympics.
Ausssies ready to inhabit village
Despite a delay of several days, the head of the Australian delegation said she expects her 700 athletes and officials to move into housing at the Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday.
Australia refused to check in at the Athletes Village when it officially opened Sunday, complaining about water leaks, gas leaks, electrical faults and filth that delegation head Kitty Chiller said “endangered” athletes.
“It’s looking like, according to our plan, that we will be able to move everybody in on Wednesday,” Chiller said.
Sidney Levy, the CEO of the Rio organizing committee, told the Associated Press that half of the 31 apartment buildings in the village complex were ready on Monday. The Games open Aug. 5
“The rest will be delivered in the next few days,” Levy said, adding that each building might have a few apartments with problems “that might take a bit extra to solve.”