However, he indicated the door could be opened for individual Russian athletes to compete in Rio despite the ban. Coates described the Russian system that cheated Tallent out of the medal as "rotten to the core." Two-time Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva is among the Russian athletes hoping to compete in Rio. "Additionally, Russia's athletes must not be singled out as the only ones to be punished for a problem that is widely acknowledged to go far beyond our country's borders." "Russia is doing everything possible to ensure our athletes are a part of clean and fair Olympic Games.

Source: New Zealand Herald June 17, 2016 09:13 UTC