"The final decision by the IOC Executive Board has been taken already," said IOC spokesman Mark Adams when asked whether Stepanova's renewed appeal would be reviewed. "We would herewith once more like to ask the IOC (Executive Board) to re-assess the decision on Yulia. Whistleblower Yulia Stepanova, who helped expose state-backed doping in Russian sports and has fled the country, asked again on Saturday for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reassess her exclusion from the Rio Games. Stepanova has rejected an invitation to attend the Olympics as a guest, with the IOC arguing her drugs-tainted past made her ineligible to compete in Rio. The IOC has said any Russian athlete with a doping past, including Stepanova, would not be allowed to compete in Rio as it tightened controls following the fallout from the doping scandal involving their country.

Source: dna July 31, 2016 04:30 UTC