Russian Olympic Committee President Alexander Zhukov today said that he "expects a final decision by Sunday on whether the entire Russian team will be banned" from next month's Rio Games over doping allegations, according to James Ellingworth of the AP. A five-person IOC committee is "examining the legal options of a blanket ban" following the WADA-led McLaren Report on the scandal. Zhukov said that his committee "did not discuss the McLaren report at its meeting, although he also did not rule out legal action if Russia is hit with a total ban" from Rio (AP, 7/20). In N.Y., Rebecca Ruiz notes Russia's track and field team was "barred from Rio by the sport's governing body last month," a decision supported by the IOC and "challenged by Russia with the Court of Arbitration for Sport." Olympic officials indicated that they were "awaiting a ruling in that case," expected tomorrow, before announcing further action. The court's decision about the legality of the ban on Russia's track team could "heavily influence what action Olympic officials take." The IOC in a statement said that while it considers its options, the federations that govern individual sports should "begin determining the eligibility of Russian athletes." The case against Russia was "dramatically bolstered" by Monday's McLaren Report. The report detailed further "state-sponsored doping that dated back years and extended across the spectrum of sports, affecting results of both Winter and Summer Games" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/20). IOC Exec BOD member Anita DeFrantz said, "We have to do this the right way or it will be an even bigger mess than it already is." She added, "As soon as we get more information we'll reconvene. We're doing as much as we can, as fast as we can." In L.A., David Wharton notes at the "very least, Olympic leaders will pursue disciplinary proceedings against Russian Sports Ministry officials mentioned in WADA’s McLaren Report earlier this week" (L.A. TIMES, 7/20).
WATCHING THE BOTTOM LINE: USA TODAY's Nancy Armour writes the IOC is "over-looking perhaps the most important factor of all. ... Its bottom line." If it is going to take the IOC worrying about "alienating sponsors to do the right thing, so be it." Assistant Dir of the Sports Business Institute at USC Michael Colangelo said, "Once the money starts to dry up, people start to make decisions." He added, "If sponsors were to come out against Russia's involvement or make any official statements toward what's going on with the Russian doping scandal it could force the IOC to make a decision sooner rather than later." Armour notes Visa and Coca-Cola, two of the IOC's "largest and most visible sponsors, declined to comment." McDonald's, Samsung and P&G also "didn't respond." With the Opening Ceremony less than three weeks away, campaigns and activation plans "are in full swing." Companies have far too much "invested to start rattling cages now." But sponsors "don't like stench, either." Armour: "If the entire image of the Olympics becomes tarnished, however, you can be sure that sponsors won't stay silent for long" (USA TODAY, 7/20). Former IOC VP and WADA President Dick Pound said that some of the governing body's TOP sponsors "would probably abandon the Olympics if Russia is allowed to compete in Rio." Pound: "The IOC either has to walk the walk or stop the talk. You can't talk about zero tolerance, be presented with the evidence that we have now ... and then say there may be cases where individuals from Russia are clean." Pound said of the sponsors, "They think they're buying clean sports. It's been demonstrated now that it's not clean" (TSN.ca, 7/19).
