Russian Weightlifting Team Banned from Rio Olympics: Latest Comments, Reaction
The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has banned Russian weightlifters from competing at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro—the latest in a long line of sanctions against the nation in the wake of a doping scandal.
As reported by Kevin Farley of USA Weightlifting on Friday (via Team USA's official website), the IWF released a statement Friday: "The integrity of the weightlifting sport has been seriously damaged on multiple times and levels by the Russians. Therefore an appropriate sanction was applied in order to preserve the status of the sport."
According to the report, the IWF will distribute the eight places reserved for Russian athletes elsewhere.
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Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko confirmed to Match TV the decision will be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, according to the Associated Press on Saturday.
As reported by Lilufa Uddin and Amy Walker of the Guardian, the vast majority of Russia's athletics and rowing teams have already been banned from competing, as well as numerous athletes in other events.
Per the Press Association (via the Guardian), the International Olympic Committee decided against a complete ban on Russian athletes after a lengthy investigation into doping allegations and instead left the decision up to the federations.
The decision did not sit well with fans and pundits alike, and even IOC members spoke out, via BBC Sport's Dan Roan:
The IWF already took two quota places away from the Russian team in June as part of its efforts to crack down on the use of doping within the sport, per the federation's official website.
Russia won six medals in weightlifting at the 2012 Olympics in London, but none of their athletes captured the gold. Those Games were overshadowed by the widespread use of doping, however, with no less than 10 weightlifters returning positive tests, according to Reuters (via Sky Sports). Four of those caught had won a gold medal.
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