MOSCOW — At least 105 athletes from the 387-strong Russian Olympic team announced last week have been barred from the Rio Games in connection with the country’s doping scandal.
International federations in canoeing, sailing and modern pentathlon ruled out eight on Tuesday, including an Olympic gold medalist. Rowing added 19 athletes to three that had previously been announced. Swimming also has barred some athletes. Some appeals are likely.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, told Russian media that Putin discussed the issue with his national security council.
“The topic of the recent International Olympic Committee ruling relating to Russian athletes was raised ahead of Putin’s planned meeting (Wednesday) with the Russian Olympic team,” Peskov said.
The vast majority of the Russian athletes who miss out are in track and field, where 67 athletes were ruled out when a ban on the Russian team was upheld at the Court of Arbitration for Sport last week.
TWO DAYS after describing the housing at the Olympics as “dangerous,” Australian athletes and staff started moving into the athletes’ village.
A team spokesman said up to 60 delegation members, evenly split between athletes and staff, were checking in.
n The Olympic team of Belarus branded the athletes’ village unsanitary, complaining about having no hot water, only sometimes cold water, and a failing sewage system. The country’s Olympic committee posted pictures on its website of dirty windows and a filthy shower.
THE U.S. women’s basketball team continues its pre-Olympic tour with a three-city exhibition series that wraps up Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
The Americans will face France on Wednesday at the University of Delaware, play Canada on Friday in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and host Australia on Sunday.
CUTS WILL be a major concern in Olympic boxing when the 250 male fighters will compete without headgear for the first time since the 1980 Games in Moscow.
“I don’t think it was a good idea, taking off the headgear, because we’re still amateur,” U.S. light flyweight Nico Hernandez said. “I got cut on both eyes before. I got stitches and stuff from head-butts. I just don’t think it’s as safe for the amateur boxers. But I also like it because you can have more peripheral vision and you don’t get as hot. I’ve had a lot of fights without now, so I’m used to it.”
TWO INDIAN competitors proclaimed their innocence after testing positive for banned steroids just days before they were to leave for the Olympics.
Wrestler Narsingh Yadav, who was to represent India in the 74-kilogram category, said his food supplements were spiked, causing the positive test. Inderjeet Singh, who was a medal hope in the shot put, was told by India’s National Anti-Doping Agency that he tested positive for a banned steroid.
THE COURT of Arbitration for Sport opened two temporary offices in Rio de Janeiro to handle doping cases.
Usually used as a higher court after an initial sanction of an athlete, CAS said “for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games” it will be used as “a first-instance authority.”
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