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Russian doping whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova who runs under a neutral flag prepares a women's 800m heat during the European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam. Matthias Schrader
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'Disgraceful' - Russian doping whistle-blower barred from Rio Olympics

800m runner Yuliya Stepanova has been running under a neutral flag at recent events.

Updated at 20.25

AN INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC Committee commission has today ruled that 800m runner Yuliya Stepanova, who turned whistleblower on doping in Russian athletics, could not go to Rio even as a neutral.

In addition to the news that Russia has escaped a blanket ban from the 2016 Olympics, the IOC delivered a crushing blow to Stepanova’s hopes of competing in Rio. She had refused to run for Russia and hoped for a special Olympic charter exemption to compete as a neutral after she gave evidence to WADA.

The IOC ethics commission said : “It is true that Mrs Stepanova’s testimony and public statements have made a contribution to the protection and promotion of clean athletes, fair play and the integrity and authenticity of sport.”

But it added that Olympic rules “run counter to the recognition of the status of neutral athlete.

Furthermore, the sanction to which she was subject and the circumstances in which she denounced the doping practices which she had used herself, do not satisfy the ethical requirements for an athlete to enter the Olympic Games.”

The IOC executive said it would “like to express its appreciation for Mrs Stepanova’s contribution to the fight against doping and to the integrity of sport.”

© AFP 2016

- Additional reporting by Paul Fennessy

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