Following the doping scandal that engulfed Russia and its athletes going into the 2016 Olympic Games at Rio de Janeiro, a number of its swimmers have been permitted to participate, it has emerged.
An investigation by WADA uncovered significant state-sponsored doping of athletes in the country, which led to an almost blanket-ban on Russian athletes. All ahtletes with a hstory of doping or those who were named in the WADA investigation were banned from the Olympics this year, but as part of the International Olympic Committee’s decision not to put a blanket ban on Russian athletes, athletes who have tested clean will be permitted to participate.
A number of swimmers from the country are being added to the participation lists without announcement, it has emerged. Among the names being added back are Vladimir Morozov, Nikita Lobintsev, Daria Ustinova, Mikhail Dovgalyuk and Anastasia Krapivina.
According to reports in the Associated Press, however, other athletes are allegedly unhappy with this decision. Australia's Mack Horton told the AP that Chinese swimmer Sun Yang, "splashed me to say hello, and I didn't respond because I don't have time for drug cheats."
Canadian swimmer Ryan Cochrane also expressed unhappiness at the decision.
Meanwhile, swimmer Yulia Efimova will be part of the 100m breastroke event this weekend.
