The prospects of large numbers of Russian track and field stars appearing at this year’s Olympics receded further on Saturday when the International Olympic Committee said it “fully respected” the decision to ban the country’s athletes from Rio.
Some observers had expected the IOC, which has ultimate authority over the Olympics, might attempt to overturn Friday’s decision by athletics’ world governing body, the IAAF, to uphold its suspension on Russian athletes. However, in a statement the IOC made it clear that it “welcomed and supported the IAAF’s strong stance against doping”, before noting that “the eligibility of athletes in any international competition including the Olympic Games is a matter for the respective international federation”.
The IOC also put other athletes and nations on potential notice of sanctions by promising “further far-reaching measures to ensure a level playing field for all the athletes taking part in the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016” when it holds an Olympic summit in Lausanne on Tuesday. However, it refused to state what those sanctions might be.
The IOC said the summit would “address the situation of the countries in which the National Anti-Doping Organisation has been declared non-compliant by Wada for reasons of the non-efficient of the national anti-doping system”. That seemed a pointed reference to Kenya, whose anti-doping organisation has repeatedly been ruled non-compliant by Wada.
The Observer understands that the IOC will also hold a further summit in October that will be focused on remaking Wada, which has come under heavy criticism for numerous failings, including ignoring the whistleblowers Vitaly Stepanov and Yulia Stepanova.
Meanwhile, Rune Andersen, who led the IAAF’s taskforce into Russia, has revealed that he has found evidence of wrongdoing in other Russian sports which he has since shared with Wada. When Andersen was asked whether it was time for the investigation to be extended into other Russian sports he said it was clear the problems of the country went much wider than athletics. “This has been a call from athletes from the Wada and IOC athletes’ commission that Wada must go and do a better job. Because they know, and we know, the system is flawed. Who believes it only applies to track and field? That doesn’t make sense, that it is only limited to athletics.
“I think there is a job to do for Wada and its president Craig Reedie has been asked to do more. We are in very close co-operation with Wada – but Wada has to be the ones to act if they want to do other types of these investigations.”
Sebastian Coe, the IAAF president, has even suggested that his organisation’s approach to Russia might serve as a road map for investigations into other sports.
“I am not going to second-guess what approach the IOC is going to take,” he said. “The judgment we took, and I’m unashamed about it, was absolutely narrowly focused on what we felt was the best interest of our sport. Now if we have in any way created a road map or template for other sports, then that has to be a virtuous outcome.”
Coe has confirmed he will meet Stepanova if the IAAF grants her special dispensation to compete in Rio. “I will certainly meet her,” he said. “I did write to the Stepanovas some months ago, and said the most appropriate vehicle was the taskforce in terms of really understanding the pathology of Russian sport. But I said to Rune: ‘Look, if you genuinely feel there’s stuff here that could give greater understanding you absolutely have my full authority to meet with the Stepanovas on my behalf.’”
When Coe was asked whether Stepanova would be permitted to compete in Rio under a neutral flag, he said: “The recommendation that was given to the IAAF council and unanimously recognised was very simple. If an athlete gives exceptional support and help in understanding and fighting anti-doping then that should be recognised.”
