No blanket Olympic ban for Russia is the right response

Olympic rings are seen at the entrance of office building ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, July 19, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

The International Olympic Committee will leave it up to the governing bodies of individual sports to decide if Russian athletes are clean and should be allowed to take part in next month's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Gmw.cn commented on Tuesday:

The IOC's final decision on Sunday rules out the possibility that Russian will receive a blanket ban from Rio 2016 following the country's doping issues.

In all likelihood, the whole of the Russian delegation except track and field athletes, who have already been banned, will be able to compete in Rio. The International Association of Athletics Federations has ruled that Russian track and field athletes are not allowed to compete, due to their involvement in the country's doping scandal.

Undeniably, doping in sports has become a global concern, which requires all countries to take it seriously, instead of attempting to muddle through in the face of such problems.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is right to not defend his country in this regard by admitting what has been done wrong and endorsing the Olympic spirit of fair, honest competition. By showing his deep frustration over the doping scandal and pledging to hold the tainted individuals accountable, he has made it clear that on the governmental level, Moscow does not endorse the doping system nor will it do so in the future.

After forensic evidence and computer records were presented last week by the World Anti-Doping Agency, Putin announced suspensions of several officials who had been implicated. He has also proposed establishing an independent anti-doping organization in Russia, which is open to reputed sports, law, and medical experts from home and abroad.

These efforts have paid off, as the IOC decided not to impose an outright ban on the Russian delegation. This should be an acceptable result for Moscow, because it will not only allow untainted players to compete in their dream games, but also significantly reduce the harm to its national image and pride.