Final decision on Russian participation likely today

A final decision on the number of Russian athletes allowed to compete in the Rio Olympics could be reached as early as Tuesday, according to Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko.

“I hope that today or tomorrow all the formalities regarding letting the team (compete in Rio) will be completed,” Mutko told RIA Novosti news agency in comments made in Paris.

The Russian Olympic team have been the target of allegations of state-sponsored doping ahead of the Games which open on Friday.

Meanwhile, Mutko added that international sport will be heading on the “road to nowhere” unless doping sanctions are applied in the the same way to all countries.

Mutko said he hoped the final size of Russia’s Olympic team would be known on Tuesday even though final appeals at the international sports tribunal are still being heard.

Russia has said it feels it has been unfairly treated following accusations of state-organised doping in a report by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren for the World Anti-Doping Agency.

“The (anti-doping) system needs to be equally integrated and a unique system in all countries of the world,” Mutko told Russian media after a meeting at the UN cultural organisation, Unesco, in Paris.

“If we can achieve this, then the fight against doping will have some kind of final effect,” he said.

“If the system will work one way in a given country, and we will have to fulfil others’ requirements, then that’s a road to nowhere.”

Despite the torrent of criticism that has hit Russia, which denies any state role, the country has “the political will” to solve the crisis, the minister said. Mutko said that “serious measures” could be taken against Russian weightlifting which has been completely banned from the Rio Olympics.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport is hearing four Russian appeals against bans from the Rio Games.

Individual federations have been told to recommend which athletes can compete and IOC panel will then make a final decision.