Russia’s participation in the Rio Olympics remained doubtful on Tuesday after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it would “explore legal options’’ for banning the country from the Games.
The decision was taken at an emergency IOC Executive Board meeting in Switzerland.
This was a day after an independent report detailed a systematic and state-run doping programme in Russia.
IOC EB members fell short of an immediate ban but they did issue a series of measures relating to the report.
“With regard to the participation of Russian athletes in the Olympic Games Rio 2016, the IOC will carefully evaluate the IP Report,” a statement said.
“It will explore the legal options, with regard to a collective ban of all Russian athletes for the Olympic Games 2016 versus the right to individual justice.’’
It added that the committee would have to take into consideration the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision due on Thursday concerning the IAAF rules.
The World Anti-Doping Code and the Olympic Charter would also be taken into consideration, the statement said.
CAS is due to rule on the dispute between Russia, 68 of its athletes and the governing body of world athletics over their Rio participation.
This was after the IAAF banned the country from the Rio track and field programme.
The report, commissioned by WADA and compiled by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, on Monday revealed evidence of widespread state-sponsored doping by Russian sports men and women and extensive cover-ups.
This was particularly notable at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in the Russian city of Sochi.
Positive tests were covered up and “dirty” urine samples swapped with “clean” ones with methods developed by the domestic intelligence service (FSB).
Deputy sports minister Yuri Nagornykh was also found to have decided which athletes would be protected.
The IOC said on Tuesday it had started disciplinary action against officials mentioned in the report and that anyone implicated would not be given accreditation for Rio.
