Suspected Russian Dopers Morozov, Lobintsev Cleared For Rio Pending IOC Review

Photo Courtesy: Gian Mattia Dalberto/Lapresse

Editorial Coverage Sponsored By FINIS

In another turn-around in the Russian-Rio saga and a slim four days before competition dives in at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Russian swimmers Vladimir Morozov and Nikita Lobintsev have been cleared for competition by FINA, swimming’s governing body.

The news was announced today, August 2nd, by Russian sports attorney Artyom Patsesv who confirmed, “Yes, Morozov and Lobintsev were granted permission from FINA to take part in the Olympics.”

The decision by FINA does not guarantee the two athletes a trip to Brazil as the final decision rests with the Panel of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), whose three members are: Ugur Erdener, head of IOC Medical Commission; Claudia Bokel, IOC Executive Board Member and chair of IOC Athletes’ Commission; and Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., IOC Executive Board Member. It is important to note that Bokal abstained from voting on a complete ban of the Russian delegation earlier this month.

FINA later issued a press release to clarify that the situation is in the hands of the CAS and the IOC.

Alongside the Panel, the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) will also be granted a say in the admission of Morozov and Lobintsev as the court deals with a pending lawsuit from the Russian Swimming Federation regarding the potential ban of Morozov and Lobintsev.

Morozov and Lobintsev were originally banned from competing at the upcoming Olympics after being mentioned in WADA’s Independent Commission (McLaren) Report on the systematic doping occurring in Russia.

Read the full report by TASS here.

Read the full press release from FINA here:

Contrary to recent media reports, the eligibility of Russian swimmers Vladimir Morozov and Nikita Lobintsev to compete at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 has not been confirmed, and will not be confirmed until the IOC’s three-person commission to review Russian entrants renders its final decision on these athletes, along with the other members of the Russian swimming team.

The FINA Bureau initially did not include Morozov and Lobintsev on the list of eligible competitors, in respect of the IOC’s ruling that nobody implicated in the WADA IP Report may be accredited for entry in the Olympic Games. Both athletes were named in the WADA IP Report.

The two athletes filled an appeal to CAS and FINA understands that this Court has forwarded the case to the IOC three-person commission for final decision.

FINA would like to make it absolutely clear that the International Federation is totally opposed to doping of any form in sport. FINA’s commitment to anti-doping is underlined by the 2,177 unannounced out-of-competition tests it has conducted on Olympic Games-bound athletes between January and the end of July 2016. The total investment for all anti-doping tests conducted during this period amounts to approximately USD 1,800,000.

FINA also took the decision to retest all Russian samples from athletes going to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games that were collected at the latest 15th FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia, 2015. These samples, retested at the Barcelona laboratory, where they have been stored, returned no adverse findings.

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Bill Bell

7 years ago

W/all “Vlady & Co.” Have gone through psychologically/ emotionally last several weeks it’ll be a “world record” if they just make it through prelims!