Will Team Russia compete in Rio? Olympic future of Russian athletes to be announced Sunday
The future of all athletes competing for Russia in this year's Olympics is being announced Sunday. Will more than just the country's track athletes be kicked out?
Russian track athletes have already been banned from showing up to race in Rio. But this week, a bigger question that affects athletes in all disciplines is being asked by head honchos at the International Olympic Committee (IOC): Should Russia be kicked out of the 2016 Olympic Games period?
The Russian athletics scandal has been unfolding for quite some time now after whistle blowers came forward detailing positive sample cover-ups, networks of coaches and doctors that administer banned substances and a system that works not only to sweep it under the rug and out of sight from the rest of the world, but also actually supports and thrives off of it.
RELATED: Don’t understand the Russian doping scandal? A timeline of key events
A World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) investigation confirmed all these allegations of state-sponsored doping as a follow up. Russians runners were kicked out of Rio. The IAAF stands behind that call— though Russia has gone ahead and submitted an appeal to the the Court of Arbitration of Sport.
But with the athletics scandal came murmurings of Russian athletes in other sports. Are other federations supporting doping in the same way as Russian track? Will they be kicked out too?
The answer to that question is supposed to come on Sunday reports TSN. As it stands, another WADA investigation headed by Richard McLaren has accused the Russian sports ministry of helping athletics dope their way to top positions in international sport. Instances of cheating were found in 28 sports. WADA and other anti-doping experts have advised the IOC to kick them all out of Rio.
Alexander Zhukov is the head of the Russian Olympic Committee and he’ll get his answer likely on the weekend. That will also be after the verdict on the Russian track appeal comes out.
Hypothetically, if Russia misses these Games, it will be the first time the team hasn’t been present since 1984. That’s the year that the country boycotted the Olympics in LA.
Right now though, the one responsible for Team Russia is thinking of sending a team 387 strong– including 68 track athletes.
Check out the latest buyer's guide:
