The IOC has been under huge pressure to throw Russia out of the Games after a second World Anti-Doping Agency -funded investigation found proof of a doping programme directed by the Russian state.
But at its second emergency meeting in a week, the IOC’s executive board opted against a collective sanction and asked all international sports federations affected by Russia’s cheating to make their own judgements on eligibility against a set of strict criteria.
A statement from the IOC after Sunday’s meeting said: “Entry (to the Rio Olympics) will be accepted by the IOC only if an athlete is able to provide evidence to the full satisfaction of his or her international federation.”
Russia’s track and field athletes have already been banned by the IAAF and other federations now face a race against time to establish those Russians who meet the criteria set out to allow them to compete in Brazil.
WADA had recommended for all Russian athletes to be banned after a report led by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren revealed evidence of widespread state-sponsored doping by the country during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
But now there is the likelihood of some Russian athletes appearing in Rio, with an IOC statement released on Sunday afternoon following their executive board meeting confirming international federations will be tasked with the job of banning those who do not tick all the right boxes.
