RIO DE JANEIRO — Swimming governing body FINA has ruled seven Russian swimmers ineligible to compete at the Olympics, including three it says were linked to recent allegations of a major doping cover-up by Russian authorities.
Reigning world 100-meter breaststroke champion Yulia Efimova is among four Russian swimmers who FINA says were withdrawn by the Russian Swimming Federation because they previously served doping bans.
The International Olympic Committee on Sunday restricted athletes with previous doping bans from representing Russia.
FINA says three more swimmers were identified by World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren when he examined evidence that Russian government officials ordered the cover-up 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.
RUSSIAN DOPING whistleblower Yulia Stepanova is appealing her ban from the 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 says the IOC’s ban of any Russian athlete who has previously 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 Anti-Doping Agency and track’s governing body, the IAAF, recommended she be allowed in the Olympics.
ATHLETES 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 Rio de Janeiro Olympics 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, speaking Monday at Rio’s Olympic Park.
Sidney Levy, CEO of the Rio organizing committee, said half of the 31 apartment buildings in the village complex were ready on Monday.
GYMNASTICS: Apparently all reigning Olympic all-around champion Gabby Douglas needed to overcome a so-so performance at Olympic Trials is quality time with national team coordinator Martha Karolyi.
Karolyi praised Douglas for her steady improvement during a recently completed national training camp, and said Douglas will likely be given an opportunity to defend the gold medal she won in London four years ago.
Douglas made the five-woman team at Olympic Trials two weeks ago despite finishing eighth in the all-around. Karolyi said she believed Douglas would respond to extended time under Karolyi’s watch following a turbulent period in which Douglas parted ways with her coach.
Karolyi said there is a “very, very strong possibility” Douglas will be entered in the all-around.
Douglas finished second behind teammate Simone Biles at the 2015 world championships. No female gymnast has repeated as Olympic champion since Vera Caslavska of Czechoslovakia did it in 1968.
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