Over 200 Russian athletes checked for doping at Rio Olympics

Over 200 Russian athletes have been tested for doping at the Olympics here, the head of the Russian Olympic delegation, Igor Kazikov said on Saturday.

"Doping samples have been taken from 75 per cent of the (Russian) athletes," Kazikov told Tass news agency.

Russia will be represented by 279 athletes at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

The Independent Commission of WADA, chaired by Canadian law professor, Richard McLaren, released the now-infamous July 18 report on the results of a probe into the accusations of doping and manipulation of tests by Russian athletes and officials at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games.

According to the details, the commission claimed it had found evidence that Russia's Sports Ministry and the center for the Training of Russian National Teams and the Federal Security Service had covered up a doping programme in Russian sports.

The report from WADA's Commission stated in particular that the commission's investigation registered a total of 643 cases of Disappearing Positive Test Results in Russia between 2012 and 2015 involving athletes from 30 sports.

The recently formed IOC Independent Panel is having a final say on the participation of particular Russian athletes in the Olympics, which kick off with promises of a spectacular opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro Friday night.

The Panel lists three members and they are: Ugur Erdener, the head of the IOC Medical Commission; Claudia Bokel, an IOC Executive Board Member and the Chair of the IOC Athletes' Commission; and Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., an IOC Executive Board Member.

--IANS

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