Romania to send 96 athletes, 7 reserves to Rio Olympics

Romania will send 96 participants across 16 sports to next month's Rio Olympics with seven sportspersons in reserve.

According to the Executive Committee of the Romanian Olympic Committee which announced the squad on Saturday, the east European nation will field 18-member contingents in both athletics and canoeing.

Notable is the presence in the Romanian contingent of 20km race walker Claudia Stef, who had tested positive for the banned drug meldonium.

The Romanian Olympic Committee decided to include her in view of the "low concentration" in the sample.

Gymnast Catalina Pono will be the flag-bearer at the opening ceremony on August 5, yet the country failed to qualify full team in women's gymnastics for Rio Olympics. The Romanian women gymnasts have bagged medals in the team event at every Olympics dating back to 1976, including gold in 1984, 2000 and 2004.

At the 2012 Olympics in London, 103 Romanian sportspersons participated in 15 disciplines and claimed nine medals, including two gold, five silver and two bronze.

--IANS

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