IOC hands Russia partial Olympic ban

Russia will not receive a total ban from the 2016 Rio Olympics in wake of the doping scandal surrounding the country’s programs and practices.

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Russia will not receive a total ban from the 2016 Rio Olympics in wake of the doping scandal surrounding the country’s programs and practices.

The IOC announced the decision Sunday. Governing bodies for each sport will be allowed to determine if Russian competitors are clean on an individual basis and if they should be allowed to participate. Russia will not be allowed to enter any athlete who has ever been sanctioned for doping in their career. Participating Russian athletes will face a stringent, mandatory testing program.

Russia’s track and field team lost an appeal Thursday and will not be allowed to participate. Russia has admitted to some doping violations by its athletes and coaches, but denies the involvement of the government in hiding failed tests and substituting clean ones in the lead up to hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

The IOC also ruled that Yulia Stepanova, the Russian track athlete credited as the “whistle-blower” in calling attention to the widespread doping and corruption within her country’s Olympic programs, will not be allowed to participate. Stepanova had requested to partake as a “neutral athlete.” 

The Rio Games begin August 5.