At least 18 Russian athletes have presented appeals to the international sports tribunal against being excluded from the Rio Olympics. Russia stands accused of doping its athletes.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/K. Nietfeld
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Russian canoeist Andrey Kraytor and 17 Russian rowers made last-ditch appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which is holding special hearings in Rio to handle the Russian cases. CAS is already dealing with a number of appeals made by three Russian swimmers, a wrestler and the Russian weightlifting federation. About 30 Russians in total have now appealed against exclusions, directly or indirectly.
Russia has been at the centre of a new doping scandal after an independent investigator, Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, said in a report that there had been widespread state-backed doping in Russia.
CAS said it would announce on Tuesday whether more hearings would be needed in the cases of swimmers Vladimir Morozov and Nikita Lobintsev. Another appeal by Yulia Efimova was adjourned and the case of wrestler Viktor Lebedev would follow, it added.
2016 Olympics: Are Rio's waters ready?
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Balancing act for IOC president Thomas Bach
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach meanwhile expressed his faith in local organizers ahead of the Rio Games, and defended his decision not to impose a blanket ban on all Russian athletes in connection with doping.
"If proven true, such a contemptuous system of doping is an unprecedented attack on the integrity of sport and on the Olympic Games. Because of the seriousness of the allegations we could not uphold the presumption of innocence for Russian athletes. On the other hand, we cannot deprive an athlete of the human right to be given the opportunity to prove his or her innocence," Bach said.
"You cannot punish a human being for the failures of his or her government if he or she is not implicated," he added.
The IOC executive board had decided not to ban the entire Russian Olympic team from the Rio Games, but had ordered all individual sports federations to apply new criteria to decide which athletes could be allowed to compete. Russia denies any government backing for doping, however, its sports minister Vitaly Mutko has been barred from attending the Rio Games.
Seven sporting reasons to be excited about Rio 2016
With doping scandals and poor humanitarian conditions taking the headlines for the Rio Olympics, DW takes a look at some of the most exciting sporting aspects of the Summer Games.
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Insane Usain
Already considered one of the finest Olympians of all-time, Usain Bolt is seeking his third hat-trick of medals as he enters the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay in the hope of etching himself into the annuals of Olympic history.
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Advantage Kerber on hard court?
Just two months from Wimbledon heartache, Angelique Kerber seeks to prevent Serena Williams collecting back-to-back Olympic Gold medals in Brazil. With Keber triumphing in the Australian Open final against the American this year on the same surface, the world number two could perhaps add to Germany's gold medal tally.
Image: picture alliance/abaca/D.Corinne
Phelps' final plunge
Looking to build on the staggering 18 gold medals accumulated at four summer tournaments already, Michael Phelps is to become only the second swimmer in US history, after Dara Torres, to compete at five Olympic Games after announcing his return from retirement earlier this year. Whether he wins or not, his return will be worth the watch.
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Will the hosts benefit?
After reaching their best medal tally at London 2012 with 17 medals, Brazil will be hoping the 465 athletes representing them will be able to significantly improve as the Summer Olympics heads to South America for the first time. Having collected only three golds four years ago, the home athletes will be hoping the crowd can lead them to even more glory this summer.
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Young stars
Dominating the 2014 Youth Olympic Games with three gold and two bronze medals, Giarnni Regini-Moran of Great Britain will be hoping to cause a surprise as he graduates this year. Moreover, Katie Ledecky, now aged 19, wishes to build on her stunning result from London 2012 after triumphing over Rebecca Adlington in the pool.
Image: Reuters/M. Dalder
Germany to dominate again?
While the hosts are considered favourites for gold in the men's football, Brazilians shudder at the thought of a World Cup repeat like the semi-final in 2014 when Germany scored seven. No player from the respective Olympic squads featured that day in Belo Horizonte, so perhaps the outcome could be different should the sides meet on their quest for gold.
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Determination epitomised
Thomas van der Plaetsen defeated the most fearsome opponent possible en route to the Rio Olympic Games when he overcame testicular cancer. Now the Belgian decathlete is able to focus on adding another medal to his collection after gaining gold at the European Championships in The Netherlands last month to complete an emphatic story.
