Tokyo 2020 organisers on Friday unveiled a &quot;significant&quot; cut in their budget for hosting the games, as the city comes under pressure to keep a lid on spiralling costs. 
The overall games budget now stands at a total of 1.35 trillion yen ($12.6 billion), organisers said in a statement.

This represented a cut of $1.4 billion compared to the previous version of the budget unveiled last December and $0.3 billion compared to an interim figure agreed in May.

&quot;Going forward, Tokyo 2020 will continue to seek further cost reductions, particularly in the areas of event operations, transport, accommodation and security,&quot; organisers said in a statement.

They hailed a &quot;significant reduction in costs&quot; resulting from &quot;sustained efforts ... to avoid recourse to public funds.&quot;

&quot;This will not be the end of the cost reduction efforts,&quot; vowed Hidemasa Nakamura, chief financial officer of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, at a press conference.

The IOC&#39;s Games coordination commission chairman John Coates said in October Tokyo should aim to cut overall costs by $1 billion from the interim figure.

&quot;We hope to draft (budget) plans so that Coates will say `good job` at the end,&quot; Nakamura said.The Tokyo 2020 organising committee will cover $5.6 billion of the costs, with the Tokyo city authorities and the Japanese government stumping up a further $7.0 billion between them.

The $5.6 billion organising committee budget is covered by ticket sales, licensing and sponsorship and the statement hailed an increase of $0.9 billion in sponsorship revenue.

However, Tokyo 2020 admitted it still needed to find $0.2 billion in &quot;expected additional revenue&quot; to balance the books and vowed it would &quot;continue to look at ways&quot; to secure the extra funding.

Tokyo organisers are under pressure to keep costs down, with the International Olympic Committee worried that ballooning price tags for hosting the games will deter cities from bidding for the showcase event.

The rollout of the centrepiece Olympic stadium turned into a fiasco when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tore up the blueprints amid public anger over its price tag.

In 2016, an expert panel warned the total costs could exceed an eye-watering $25 billion.

In its bid, Tokyo estimated the bill for the Games at a little over $7 billion.

Tokyo organisers are under pressure to keep costs down, with the International Olympic Committee worried that ballooning price tags for hosting the games will deter cities from bidding for the showcase event.

Tokyo 2020 organisers on Friday unveiled a "significant" cut in their budget for hosting the games, as the city comes under pressure to keep a lid on spiralling costs. The overall games budget now stands at a total of 1.35 trillion yen ($12.6 billion), organisers said in a statement. This represented a cut of $1.4 billion compared to the previous version of the budget unveiled last December and $0.3 billion compared to an interim figure agreed in May. "Going forward, Tokyo 2020 will continue to seek further cost reductions, particularly in the areas of event operations, transport, accommodation and security," organisers said in a statement. They hailed a "significant reduction in costs" resulting from "sustained efforts ... to avoid recourse to public funds." "This will not be the end of the cost reduction efforts," vowed Hidemasa Nakamura, chief financial officer of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, at a press conference. The IOC's Games coordination commission chairman John Coates said in October Tokyo should aim to cut overall costs by $1 billion from the interim figure. "We hope to draft (budget) plans so that Coates will say `good job` at the end," Nakamura said.The Tokyo 2020 organising committee will cover $5.6 billion of the costs, with the Tokyo city authorities and the Japanese government stumping up a further $7.0 billion between them. The $5.6 billion organising committee budget is covered by ticket sales, licensing and sponsorship and the statement hailed an increase of $0.9 billion in sponsorship revenue. However, Tokyo 2020 admitted it still needed to find $0.2 billion in "expected additional revenue" to balance the books and vowed it would "continue to look at ways" to secure the extra funding. Tokyo organisers are under pressure to keep costs down, with the International Olympic Committee worried that ballooning price tags for hosting the games will deter cities from bidding for the showcase event. The rollout of the centrepiece Olympic stadium turned into a fiasco when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tore up the blueprints amid public anger over its price tag. In 2016, an expert panel warned the total costs could exceed an eye-watering $25 billion. In its bid, Tokyo estimated the bill for the Games at a little over $7 billion.

Tokyo 2020 unveils budget cuts

China responded to the Russia Olympic ban on Wednesday (December 6) by saying that it has &quot;always opposed&quot; doping but added that the &quot;rights of all clean athletes&quot; should be protected.

The comments came from Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang at a regular news briefing in Beijing.

The IOC banned Russia on Tuesday (December 5) from the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games after evidence emerged of an &quot;unprecedented systematic manipulation&quot; of the anti-doping system. This followed a similar ban, also for doping, on Russia for the 2016 Rio (summer) Olympic Games. The door was left open, however, for Russians to compete as an &quot;Olympic Athlete of Russia&quot; as long as they satisfy strict conditions that show they have a doping-free background.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced in October that it will investigate allegations made by a retired physician that systematic doping took place in Chinese sport during the 1980s and 1990s.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang commented on Russia's Olympic ban that the country has always ''opposed doping" and the "rights of all clean athletes must be protected".

China responded to the Russia Olympic ban on Wednesday (December 6) by saying that it has "always opposed" doping but added that the "rights of all clean athletes" should be protected. The comments came from Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang at a regular news briefing in Beijing. The IOC banned Russia on Tuesday (December 5) from the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games after evidence emerged of an "unprecedented systematic manipulation" of the anti-doping system. This followed a similar ban, also for doping, on Russia for the 2016 Rio (summer) Olympic Games. The door was left open, however, for Russians to compete as an "Olympic Athlete of Russia" as long as they satisfy strict conditions that show they have a doping-free background. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced in October that it will investigate allegations made by a retired physician that systematic doping took place in Chinese sport during the 1980s and 1990s.

China on Russia's Olympic ban: 'Rights of clean athletes must be protected'

American media giant Discovery, the rights holder for the Olympics in Europe, on Thursday announced its backing to the Paris bid to host the 2024 Games.

Discovery, which also owns pan-European television network Eurosport and holds the European rights to the Olympics for the period 2018-2024, said in a statement: &quot;Today, Discovery Communications and Eurosport, Home of the Olympic Games in Europe, met with members of the Paris 2024 Olympic Bid Committee in a show of support for an Olympic Games to be held in Europe in 2024.&quot;

The announcement comes as Paris competes with Los Angeles for the right to host the Games. The winning bid will be named by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lima in September.

There are suggestions that the IOC will decide to award one city the 2024 Games and the other 2028.

&quot;We are excited to show our support for the Paris bid and their quest to bring the 2024 Olympic Games back to Europe,&quot; said Discovery Communications president and CEO David Zaslav.

The IOC&#39;s executive committee will meet on Friday in Lausanne, Switzerland, to discuss the issue of announcing the hosts of the 2024 and 2028 at the same time this year.

The IOC is keen on a joint award in an effort to lock in two host candidates which offer low-risk, high-quality bids at a time when fewer cities are willing to take on the vast expense of staging the Olympics.

Publicly, however, both Paris and Los Angeles bid officials have stuck to the line that they remain focused only on 2024.

The IOC announced in June 2015 that Discovery had acquired the European rights for the Olympics for the six years to 2024 for a sum of 1.3 billion euros ($1.46 billion).

The period also covers the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo as well as the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.

(AFP)

American media giant Discovery, the rights holder for the Olympics in Europe from 2018 to 2024, announces its backing to the Paris bid to host the 2024 Games.

American media giant Discovery, the rights holder for the Olympics in Europe, on Thursday announced its backing to the Paris bid to host the 2024 Games. Discovery, which also owns pan-European television network Eurosport and holds the European rights to the Olympics for the period 2018-2024, said in a statement: "Today, Discovery Communications and Eurosport, Home of the Olympic Games in Europe, met with members of the Paris 2024 Olympic Bid Committee in a show of support for an Olympic Games to be held in Europe in 2024." The announcement comes as Paris competes with Los Angeles for the right to host the Games. The winning bid will be named by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lima in September. There are suggestions that the IOC will decide to award one city the 2024 Games and the other 2028. "We are excited to show our support for the Paris bid and their quest to bring the 2024 Olympic Games back to Europe," said Discovery Communications president and CEO David Zaslav. The IOC's executive committee will meet on Friday in Lausanne, Switzerland, to discuss the issue of announcing the hosts of the 2024 and 2028 at the same time this year. The IOC is keen on a joint award in an effort to lock in two host candidates which offer low-risk, high-quality bids at a time when fewer cities are willing to take on the vast expense of staging the Olympics. Publicly, however, both Paris and Los Angeles bid officials have stuck to the line that they remain focused only on 2024. The IOC announced in June 2015 that Discovery had acquired the European rights for the Olympics for the six years to 2024 for a sum of 1.3 billion euros ($1.46 billion). The period also covers the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo as well as the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. (AFP)

2024 Olympics: Media giant Discovery backs Paris bid

The International Olympic Committee said that Russian doping cover-ups confirmed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) today showed a &quot;shocking and unprecedented attack on the integrity of sport and the Olympic Games&quot;, and that it would not hesitate to take the toughest sanctions. 
 
An independent report commissioned by WADA confirmed extraordinary systematic abuse of the anti-doping process across many sports by Russian authorities before and during the Winter Olympics in the Russian city of Sochi in 2014. 
 
In a statement, IOC President Thomas Bach said the IOC &quot;will now carefully study the complex and detailed allegations in particular with regard to the Russian ministry of sport&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The findings of the report show a shocking and unprecedented attack on the integrity of sports and on the Olympic Games,&quot; he said. &quot;Therefore, the IOC will not hesitate to take the toughest sanctions available against any individual or organisation implicated.&quot; 
 
The IOC executive board will hold a telephone conference on Tuesday to take its first decisions, which could include provisional measures and sanctions regarding the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro next month, the IOC said. 
 
Last week, Bach indicated that a total ban on Russia competing in Rio was unlikely, saying, &quot;It is obvious you cannot sanction a badminton player for an infringement of the rules by an official or a lab director at the Winter Games.&quot; 
 
However, in the light of Monday&#39;s report, with a wide group of sports bodies now calling for a blanket ban, a broad sanction could now be on the cards. 
 
Russia&#39;s track and field athletes are already banned, as are its weightlifters, subject to confirmation of positive dope tests from samples given in 2008 and 2012. 
 
(Reuters)

World Anti-Doping Agency today confirmed manipulation of the anti-doping process by Russian authorities at Sochi Olympics in 2014

The International Olympic Committee said that Russian doping cover-ups confirmed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) today showed a "shocking and unprecedented attack on the integrity of sport and the Olympic Games", and that it would not hesitate to take the toughest sanctions. An independent report commissioned by WADA confirmed extraordinary systematic abuse of the anti-doping process across many sports by Russian authorities before and during the Winter Olympics in the Russian city of Sochi in 2014. In a statement, IOC President Thomas Bach said the IOC "will now carefully study the complex and detailed allegations in particular with regard to the Russian ministry of sport". "The findings of the report show a shocking and unprecedented attack on the integrity of sports and on the Olympic Games," he said. "Therefore, the IOC will not hesitate to take the toughest sanctions available against any individual or organisation implicated." The IOC executive board will hold a telephone conference on Tuesday to take its first decisions, which could include provisional measures and sanctions regarding the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro next month, the IOC said. Last week, Bach indicated that a total ban on Russia competing in Rio was unlikely, saying, "It is obvious you cannot sanction a badminton player for an infringement of the rules by an official or a lab director at the Winter Games." However, in the light of Monday's report, with a wide group of sports bodies now calling for a blanket ban, a broad sanction could now be on the cards. Russia's track and field athletes are already banned, as are its weightlifters, subject to confirmation of positive dope tests from samples given in 2008 and 2012. (Reuters)

International Olympic Committee will take 'toughest sanctions' over Sochi doping

Rio Olympics 2016: Medal Tally

India is famously crazy about cricket, but that sporting fever doesn&rsquo;t carry over to the Olympics. Despite its enormous population, India&rsquo;s TV ratings for the 2008 Beijing Olympics were the world&rsquo;s third lowest. But sometimes it&rsquo;s not about how many fans you make, but who they are. 
 
Ayonika Paul is a 23-year-old shooter from Mumbai. Paul couldn&rsquo;t wait for Rio 2016 to start, where she&rsquo;s competing in her first ever Olympics. But the Games didn&rsquo;t always get her excited. 
 
&ldquo;Truly speaking, I never watched Olympic Games on television except in 2012,&rdquo; she admits. &nbsp;Here in India she was hardly alone, and who could blame her? India had only won 13 medals in the ten Olympics before Beijing 2012. 
 
So how did Paul and the Olympics come together? &ldquo;At the beginning it was completely on my parents, right from equipment, ammunition, travel, coaching, accommodation, et cetera. Coming from a sports background my parents totally accepted my love and craze for this sport.&rdquo; Support and passion: the two ingredients all future Olympians have before they make it. 
 
In her youth, Paul showed obvious promise competing against seniors in World Cups while still a junior. That&rsquo;s how she got discovered.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;After four years, Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ, an Indian talent scout) took me under their wing, and since then OGQ has funded my training.&rdquo; But this is where Paul experienced a setback. She had been fortunate, but agonizingly, not quite enough. 
 
&ldquo;Of course had it been a bit earlier, I would have made it in the 2012 Olympics, too. I missed the quota by only 0.1.&rdquo;&nbsp; 
 
Watching the Olympics on TV instead of competing in them couldn&lsquo;t have been easy, but rather than feel sorry for herself she got to work. 
 
&ldquo;In 2012, I realised I needed a foreign trainer with advanced know-how...now I am seeing the results.&rdquo; 
 
Her story is rare. Most Indians don&rsquo;t go from being oblivious about the Olympics Games to competing in them. Many Olympians enjoy knowing their whole country is watching them. Indian Olympians can&rsquo;t expect this attention, but Paul would appreciate more government backing. 
 
&ldquo;It would not only support me in small expenses, but also show me that India has hopes on me, and hence boost me to be better and better. It would show support from the nation.&rdquo;&nbsp; 
 
What athlete wouldn&rsquo;t be grateful for the support of the country? She would love to know India has her back, but one way or the other, &nbsp;Ayonika Paul just wants to win. 
 
&ldquo;Anyway,&rdquo; she says, &ldquo;I will continue practicing to march toward the podium.&rdquo;&nbsp; 
 
The podium is, after all, a much better vantage point to watch the Olympics from than the couch. 
&nbsp; 
Paul deserves to have India watch her accomplish this rare leap. And who knows: one Indian out there watching the 2016 Olympics on TV might just one day become India&rsquo;s next Ayonika Paul. 
 
(WION) 
&nbsp;

Paul admits she didn't watch the Olympics growing up, but things are different now that she's competing in them

India is famously crazy about cricket, but that sporting fever doesn’t carry over to the Olympics. Despite its enormous population, India’s TV ratings for the 2008 Beijing Olympics were the world’s third lowest. But sometimes it’s not about how many fans you make, but who they are. Ayonika Paul is a 23-year-old shooter from Mumbai. Paul couldn’t wait for Rio 2016 to start, where she’s competing in her first ever Olympics. But the Games didn’t always get her excited. “Truly speaking, I never watched Olympic Games on television except in 2012,” she admits. Here in India she was hardly alone, and who could blame her? India had only won 13 medals in the ten Olympics before Beijing 2012. So how did Paul and the Olympics come together? “At the beginning it was completely on my parents, right from equipment, ammunition, travel, coaching, accommodation, et cetera. Coming from a sports background my parents totally accepted my love and craze for this sport.” Support and passion: the two ingredients all future Olympians have before they make it. In her youth, Paul showed obvious promise competing against seniors in World Cups while still a junior. That’s how she got discovered. “After four years, Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ, an Indian talent scout) took me under their wing, and since then OGQ has funded my training.” But this is where Paul experienced a setback. She had been fortunate, but agonizingly, not quite enough. “Of course had it been a bit earlier, I would have made it in the 2012 Olympics, too. I missed the quota by only 0.1.” Watching the Olympics on TV instead of competing in them couldn‘t have been easy, but rather than feel sorry for herself she got to work. “In 2012, I realised I needed a foreign trainer with advanced know-how...now I am seeing the results.” Her story is rare. Most Indians don’t go from being oblivious about the Olympics Games to competing in them. Many Olympians enjoy knowing their whole country is watching them. Indian Olympians can’t expect this attention, but Paul would appreciate more government backing. “It would not only support me in small expenses, but also show me that India has hopes on me, and hence boost me to be better and better. It would show support from the nation.” What athlete wouldn’t be grateful for the support of the country? She would love to know India has her back, but one way or the other, Ayonika Paul just wants to win. “Anyway,” she says, “I will continue practicing to march toward the podium.” The podium is, after all, a much better vantage point to watch the Olympics from than the couch. Paul deserves to have India watch her accomplish this rare leap. And who knows: one Indian out there watching the 2016 Olympics on TV might just one day become India’s next Ayonika Paul. (WION)

Rio Olympics 2016: Talking with Indian shooter, Ayonika Paul

Catch the events at the Rio Games live, do not miss any part of the action

Rio Olympics 2016: Schedule and Live Blog

After 112 years, golf made a quiet and subdued return to the Olympics today with Brazil&#39;s Adilson Da Silva hitting the first shot in front of a handful of spectators. 
 
Under overcast skies and in calm conditions ideal for scoring, Da Silva was welcomed to the first tee by a smattering of applause and the whirl from hundreds of cameras as media and officials greatly outnumbered fans sprinkled through a small nearly empty stand. 
 
Da Silva was followed by Canada&#39;s Graham DeLaet, whose countryman George Lyon won the last Olympic golf tournament in 1904, with South Korean An Byeong-hun completing the threesome. 
 
The tournament lost much of its prestige after the world&#39;s four top-ranked players, Australian Jason Day, Americans Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth and Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, opted not to take part, citing concerns over the Zika virus.Four rounds over four days on the newly-constructed course on the Marapendi Nature Reserve will decide the medals with 60 players in the men&#39;s competition and the same number in the women`s event which will follow next week. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

The tournament, however, lost much of its prestige after the world's four top-ranked players opted out over Zika concerns

After 112 years, golf made a quiet and subdued return to the Olympics today with Brazil's Adilson Da Silva hitting the first shot in front of a handful of spectators. Under overcast skies and in calm conditions ideal for scoring, Da Silva was welcomed to the first tee by a smattering of applause and the whirl from hundreds of cameras as media and officials greatly outnumbered fans sprinkled through a small nearly empty stand. Da Silva was followed by Canada's Graham DeLaet, whose countryman George Lyon won the last Olympic golf tournament in 1904, with South Korean An Byeong-hun completing the threesome. The tournament lost much of its prestige after the world's four top-ranked players, Australian Jason Day, Americans Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth and Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, opted not to take part, citing concerns over the Zika virus.Four rounds over four days on the newly-constructed course on the Marapendi Nature Reserve will decide the medals with 60 players in the men's competition and the same number in the women`s event which will follow next week. (Reuters)

Rio Olympics 2016: Golf makes quiet return after 112 years?

Dutch gymnast Yuri van Gelder has been expelled from the Olympics for &quot;gravely&quot; violating team rules by going out for a night of drinking in Rio after qualifying for the finals of the rings event, the Dutch team said. 
 
The 33-year-old left the Olympic village on Saturday evening and spent the night celebrating before he returned in the early hours of Sunday morning, violating rules concerning alcohol consumption and leaving the team base.&nbsp; 
 
&#39;This kind of behaviour is unacceptable&#39;&nbsp; 
 
&quot;It`s terrible for Yuri, but this kind of behaviour is unacceptable,&quot; Dutch team chef de mission Maurits Hendriks said in a statement today.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;In sports terms this is a disaster, but we had no other choice given the violation of our values.&quot; 
 
Van Gelder, the rings world champion in 2005, has a previous instance of violating rules at a major sporting event. In 2009, he was suspended from the Dutch Gymnastics Union for taking cocaine three days before the national championships. 
 
The Dutch team has imposed strict living conditions on its athletes. According to media reports, they are forbidden from entering Rio for safety reasons, while athletes who have completed their events must return home to avoid distracting team mates. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

Yuri van Gelder left the Olympic village on Saturday evening and spent the night out celebrating

Dutch gymnast Yuri van Gelder has been expelled from the Olympics for "gravely" violating team rules by going out for a night of drinking in Rio after qualifying for the finals of the rings event, the Dutch team said. The 33-year-old left the Olympic village on Saturday evening and spent the night celebrating before he returned in the early hours of Sunday morning, violating rules concerning alcohol consumption and leaving the team base. 'This kind of behaviour is unacceptable' "It`s terrible for Yuri, but this kind of behaviour is unacceptable," Dutch team chef de mission Maurits Hendriks said in a statement today. "In sports terms this is a disaster, but we had no other choice given the violation of our values." Van Gelder, the rings world champion in 2005, has a previous instance of violating rules at a major sporting event. In 2009, he was suspended from the Dutch Gymnastics Union for taking cocaine three days before the national championships. The Dutch team has imposed strict living conditions on its athletes. According to media reports, they are forbidden from entering Rio for safety reasons, while athletes who have completed their events must return home to avoid distracting team mates. (Reuters)

Rio 2016: Dutch gymnast expelled for night of drinking

India&nbsp;offered second chance to shot putter Inderjeet Singh after he was notified by the national anti-doping agency (NADA) that he has returned a positive test for banned substances in his A sample today.

Navin Agarwal, the director general of NADA, said the athlete&#39;s A sample had tested positive.

&quot;He is given an option of sample B. Right now only sample A has tested positive and sample B, we would give him an option and if he chooses that, then he would be witness to the sealing that was done in his presence and the testing would be done in his presence. After that the report comes in, then a panel would be constituted where he can put up any other defence that he would like to,&quot; Agarwal said in New Delhi.

Inderjeet, who won the gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championship&nbsp;in 2015, told local television he had been informed of the test late on Monday and that all his earlier tests had been negative.

Earlier, wrestler Narsingh Yadav, who was set to compete in the 74kg freestyle category at the Rio Olympics, failed the dope test. 
 
(Reuters)

The National anti-doping agency has given Inderjeet Singh an option of sample B testing

India offered second chance to shot putter Inderjeet Singh after he was notified by the national anti-doping agency (NADA) that he has returned a positive test for banned substances in his A sample today. Navin Agarwal, the director general of NADA, said the athlete's A sample had tested positive. "He is given an option of sample B. Right now only sample A has tested positive and sample B, we would give him an option and if he chooses that, then he would be witness to the sealing that was done in his presence and the testing would be done in his presence. After that the report comes in, then a panel would be constituted where he can put up any other defence that he would like to," Agarwal said in New Delhi. Inderjeet, who won the gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championship in 2015, told local television he had been informed of the test late on Monday and that all his earlier tests had been negative. Earlier, wrestler Narsingh Yadav, who was set to compete in the 74kg freestyle category at the Rio Olympics, failed the dope test. (Reuters)

India gives second chance to shot putter tested positive of doping

Four-time Olympic rowing champion Matthew Pinsent led a cacophony of British condemnation of the International Olympic Committee&#39;s (IOC) decision not to ban the whole Russian team from next month&#39;s Rio Olympics. 
 
There would have been little place for the IOC or its president Thomas Bach to hide with the brickbats they received, the IOC being described as &quot;spineless&quot; and Bach being labelled -- among other things -- &quot;a Pontius Pilate figure&quot;. 
 
Pinsent said the IOC performed a &quot;hospital pass&quot; on Sunday in asking sports federations to decide who from the Russian team could compete in Rio after the revelations of state-run doping directed from Moscow. 
 
&quot;IOC has passed the buck -- pure and simple,&quot; wrote the 45-year-old Pinsent in The Times, whilst fellow rowing Olympic legend James Cracknell said the IOC &quot;bottled it&quot;. 
 
Defending Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford also weighed in. 
 
&quot;(The IOC&#39;s decision) is a spineless attempt to appear as the nice guy to both sides,&quot; the 29-year-old told The&nbsp;Guardian newspaper. 
 
Athletics&#39; world governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), has banned the Russian track and field team from the Rio Games, which start in less than two weeks. 
 
&quot;Athletics set the right sentiment for a clean and believable sport,&quot; said the outspoken Rutherford, who will defend his crown in Rio. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re not there, we may never get there -- I am still very unhappy that many convicted cheats continue to compete -- but without a consequence for institutional-level actions how on earth do we expect to make any progress (on drug cheating)?&quot; 
 
IOC president dubbed as &#39;weak leader&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Another set to compete in Brazil, oarsman Andrew Triggs Hodge, wrote in The Times he would find it hard to believe that he would be competing against clean athletes. 
 
He could go up at the Olympics against three Russians who were part of a team disqualified when one of their number failed a dope test in July. 
 
&quot;Thomas Bach, the IOC president, has shown extraordinarily weak leadership,&quot; wrote Triggs Hodge. 
 
&quot;This was a moment in his career when he could define himself as an anti-doping champion. It needs someone of character, principle and mind to drive the IOC forward and he has completely neglected that.&quot; 
 
There was widespread sympathy too for Russian whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova, who served a two year-ban for doping and was informed by the IOC on Sunday she would not be allowed to compete at the Games. 
 
It was her disclosures about rampant Russian doping that sparked the scandal. 
 
&quot;The IOC has thanked her and offered her a trip to watch the Olympics in Rio,&quot; wrote Pinsent. 
 
&quot;Great. We&#39;d love to invite you for dinner, but you can only smell the food,&quot; he added sardonically. 
 
(AFP)

'IOC performed a "hospital pass" on Sunday in asking sports federations to decide who from the Russian team could compete in Rio'

Four-time Olympic rowing champion Matthew Pinsent led a cacophony of British condemnation of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision not to ban the whole Russian team from next month's Rio Olympics. There would have been little place for the IOC or its president Thomas Bach to hide with the brickbats they received, the IOC being described as "spineless" and Bach being labelled -- among other things -- "a Pontius Pilate figure". Pinsent said the IOC performed a "hospital pass" on Sunday in asking sports federations to decide who from the Russian team could compete in Rio after the revelations of state-run doping directed from Moscow. "IOC has passed the buck -- pure and simple," wrote the 45-year-old Pinsent in The Times, whilst fellow rowing Olympic legend James Cracknell said the IOC "bottled it". Defending Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford also weighed in. "(The IOC's decision) is a spineless attempt to appear as the nice guy to both sides," the 29-year-old told The Guardian newspaper. Athletics' world governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), has banned the Russian track and field team from the Rio Games, which start in less than two weeks. "Athletics set the right sentiment for a clean and believable sport," said the outspoken Rutherford, who will defend his crown in Rio. "We're not there, we may never get there -- I am still very unhappy that many convicted cheats continue to compete -- but without a consequence for institutional-level actions how on earth do we expect to make any progress (on drug cheating)?" IOC president dubbed as 'weak leader' Another set to compete in Brazil, oarsman Andrew Triggs Hodge, wrote in The Times he would find it hard to believe that he would be competing against clean athletes. He could go up at the Olympics against three Russians who were part of a team disqualified when one of their number failed a dope test in July. "Thomas Bach, the IOC president, has shown extraordinarily weak leadership," wrote Triggs Hodge. "This was a moment in his career when he could define himself as an anti-doping champion. It needs someone of character, principle and mind to drive the IOC forward and he has completely neglected that." There was widespread sympathy too for Russian whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova, who served a two year-ban for doping and was informed by the IOC on Sunday she would not be allowed to compete at the Games. It was her disclosures about rampant Russian doping that sparked the scandal. "The IOC has thanked her and offered her a trip to watch the Olympics in Rio," wrote Pinsent. "Great. We'd love to invite you for dinner, but you can only smell the food," he added sardonically. (AFP)

Russia escapes Rio ban: British Olympians hit out at IOC

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Wednesday reinstated credentials of a drug testing laboratory in Rio de Janeiro for the Olympic Games, ending a month-long suspension that had threatened to embarrass the host country. 
 
The decision avoided a backup scheme to send blood and urine samples from Olympic athletes to labs outside Brazil during the Games. 
 
Similar steps were taken after the same lab at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro lost its credentials for the 2014 World Cup, also held in Brazil. 
 
The agency did not explain how the lab had failed to comply with international standards in June or what steps had been taken to fix the situation. 
 
Technical errors leading to false results were likely the cause of the suspension, a source familiar with the decision told Reuters in June. 
 
&quot;Athletes can be confident that anti-doping sample analysis has been robust throughout the laboratory&#39;s suspension and that it will also be during the Games,&quot; WADA director general Olivier Niggli said in a statement. 
 
The suspension just weeks ahead of the Olympics was a high-profile black eye for the lab, in which Brazil recently invested 188 million reais ($58 million) for new equipment and facilities. 
 
Doping is a major concern ahead of the Rio Games on Aug. 5-21, the first Olympics to be held in South America. 
 
Several anti-doping agencies are pushing to ban Russian athletes after charges of state-backed doping at the 2014 winter Olympics. 
 
(Reuters)

WADA had suspended credentials of the laboratory on June 24 for failing to comply with international standards

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Wednesday reinstated credentials of a drug testing laboratory in Rio de Janeiro for the Olympic Games, ending a month-long suspension that had threatened to embarrass the host country. The decision avoided a backup scheme to send blood and urine samples from Olympic athletes to labs outside Brazil during the Games. Similar steps were taken after the same lab at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro lost its credentials for the 2014 World Cup, also held in Brazil. The agency did not explain how the lab had failed to comply with international standards in June or what steps had been taken to fix the situation. Technical errors leading to false results were likely the cause of the suspension, a source familiar with the decision told Reuters in June. "Athletes can be confident that anti-doping sample analysis has been robust throughout the laboratory's suspension and that it will also be during the Games," WADA director general Olivier Niggli said in a statement. The suspension just weeks ahead of the Olympics was a high-profile black eye for the lab, in which Brazil recently invested 188 million reais ($58 million) for new equipment and facilities. Doping is a major concern ahead of the Rio Games on Aug. 5-21, the first Olympics to be held in South America. Several anti-doping agencies are pushing to ban Russian athletes after charges of state-backed doping at the 2014 winter Olympics. (Reuters)

Rio drug lab recertified for Olympic testing

Loris Karius has sacrificed his Olympic dream to try and replace Simon Mignolet as the first-choice goalkeeper at new club Liverpool, the 23-year-old German has said. 
 
Karius, who has represented his country at the under-21 level, joined Jurgen Klopp-managed Liverpool in May from German side Mainz 05 and will vie with current number one keeper Mignolet for a starting spot. 
 
&quot;I spoke with the manager and we said that it doesn&#39;t make sense for me to go to the Olympics as I would miss the first two league games of the season and of course I want to play in them,&quot; Karius told the British media. 
 
&quot;We agreed together I wouldn&#39;t be going (to Rio). First I spoke with Jurgen and then together we spoke with the German people who wanted me to go. 
 
&quot;The priority is the club. It&#39;s more important that I am available for the start of the season.&quot; 
 
Mignolet, 28, joined the Merseyside club in 2013 and was handed a contract extension in January that would keep the Belgian international at Anfield until 2021. 
 
&quot;Of course I know that a club like this has more competition,&quot; Karius said. &quot;It&#39;s a bigger club and better players means more competition. 
 
&quot;But I am not scared of anything. I&#39;m not a keeper who hasn&#39;t shown his ability.&quot; 
 
The 16-team Olympic football competition is restricted to under-23 players with only three overage players allowed. World champions Germany have been paired with 2012 Olympic gold medallist Mexico, South Korea and Fiji in Group C. 
 
(Reuters)

Loris Karius will vie with current number one keeper Mignolet for a starting spot

Loris Karius has sacrificed his Olympic dream to try and replace Simon Mignolet as the first-choice goalkeeper at new club Liverpool, the 23-year-old German has said. Karius, who has represented his country at the under-21 level, joined Jurgen Klopp-managed Liverpool in May from German side Mainz 05 and will vie with current number one keeper Mignolet for a starting spot. "I spoke with the manager and we said that it doesn't make sense for me to go to the Olympics as I would miss the first two league games of the season and of course I want to play in them," Karius told the British media. "We agreed together I wouldn't be going (to Rio). First I spoke with Jurgen and then together we spoke with the German people who wanted me to go. "The priority is the club. It's more important that I am available for the start of the season." Mignolet, 28, joined the Merseyside club in 2013 and was handed a contract extension in January that would keep the Belgian international at Anfield until 2021. "Of course I know that a club like this has more competition," Karius said. "It's a bigger club and better players means more competition. "But I am not scared of anything. I'm not a keeper who hasn't shown his ability." The 16-team Olympic football competition is restricted to under-23 players with only three overage players allowed. World champions Germany have been paired with 2012 Olympic gold medallist Mexico, South Korea and Fiji in Group C. (Reuters)

Karius opts out of Rio to fight for Liverpool first-team spot

Brazilian police protesting unpaid salaries and officers&#39; deaths shocked travellers arriving at Rio de Janeiro&#39;s main airport on Monday with banners reading &#39;Welcome to Hell&#39; a month before the Olympics. 
 
The protest by workers of more than 100 emergency services, including firefighters, took place in the arrival hall at Galeao International Airport, which will be a key entry point for the expected half-million tourists to the Games starting August 5. 
 
Officers held up a banner reading: &quot;Welcome to hell. Police and firefighters don&#39;t get paid, whoever comes to Rio de Janeiro will not be safe.&quot; 
 
Mannequins dressed in uniform were laid out on the floor to represent the more than 50 officers killed in Rio de Janeiro so far this year. A female officer with fake blood smeared on her face and hands clutched a mannequin dressed in a T-shirt reading &quot;SOS policia.&quot; 
 
&quot;We are here to show citizens and tourists from abroad the realities of Brazil,&quot; said veteran police officer Alexander Neto, 56. &quot;They&#39;ve been conned and we too have been conned. You have to understand there is no public security.&quot; 
 
Rio police began staging street protests, including another at the airport, last week, saying that they have not been fully paid for months as Rio state hovers on the edge of bankruptcy. 
 
An emergency federal bailout received last week started to be doled out on Monday, local news reports said, with the government beginning to meet delayed commitments to emergency services workers, teachers, hospital staff and prison administrators. 
 
Rio is set to become the first South American city in history to host the Olympics. However, there are growing fears about the ability of police to control crime during the event. 
 
Murders in the first quarter of 2016 are up 15 per cent on the same period last year. 
 
Non-lethal crimes such as street robberies are also on the rise, highlighted by the hijacking on Friday of a truck carrying some $445,000 worth of television equipment to be used for Olympics news coverage. 
 
David Cervantes, a Colombian tourist who came across the airport protest on arrival in Rio, said he was shocked. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s not the best welcome we could get from Rio de Janeiro, which has the reputation of being such a wonderful city,&quot; he said. &quot;I&#39;m not quite sure what to think.&quot; 
 
Rio mayor Eduardo Paes admits that crime has become a serious issue on the eve of the Olympics but blames the security problems on the state, not city, government. 
 
&quot;This is the most serious issue in Rio and the state is doing a terrible, horrible job,&quot; he told CNN. 
 
In addition to violence and the effects of a bruising recession, preparations for the Rio Olympics have been plagued by Brazil&#39;s political instability and a series of corruption scandals. 
 
Huge construction companies building stadiums and other Olympic infrastructure have been implicated in a multi-billion dollar embezzlement scheme centered on state oil company Petrobras. 
 
Now police are investigating the suspected embezzlement of subsidies for Brazilian athletes, a television channel reported. 
 
The probe centers on deals signed by sports confederations and SB Marketing e Promocoes, a promotional company, the channel said in a report aired on late Sunday. 
 
The marketing firm was hired by the sports ministry to channel subsidies to fund athletes&#39; training, worth around nine million dollars, it said.&nbsp; 
 
SB Marketing declined to comment on the report. 
 
(AFP)

Close to bankruptcy, state hasn't been able to pay salaries of cops, firefighters casting a shadow over security during the Games

Brazilian police protesting unpaid salaries and officers' deaths shocked travellers arriving at Rio de Janeiro's main airport on Monday with banners reading 'Welcome to Hell' a month before the Olympics. The protest by workers of more than 100 emergency services, including firefighters, took place in the arrival hall at Galeao International Airport, which will be a key entry point for the expected half-million tourists to the Games starting August 5. Officers held up a banner reading: "Welcome to hell. Police and firefighters don't get paid, whoever comes to Rio de Janeiro will not be safe." Mannequins dressed in uniform were laid out on the floor to represent the more than 50 officers killed in Rio de Janeiro so far this year. A female officer with fake blood smeared on her face and hands clutched a mannequin dressed in a T-shirt reading "SOS policia." "We are here to show citizens and tourists from abroad the realities of Brazil," said veteran police officer Alexander Neto, 56. "They've been conned and we too have been conned. You have to understand there is no public security." Rio police began staging street protests, including another at the airport, last week, saying that they have not been fully paid for months as Rio state hovers on the edge of bankruptcy. An emergency federal bailout received last week started to be doled out on Monday, local news reports said, with the government beginning to meet delayed commitments to emergency services workers, teachers, hospital staff and prison administrators. Rio is set to become the first South American city in history to host the Olympics. However, there are growing fears about the ability of police to control crime during the event. Murders in the first quarter of 2016 are up 15 per cent on the same period last year. Non-lethal crimes such as street robberies are also on the rise, highlighted by the hijacking on Friday of a truck carrying some $445,000 worth of television equipment to be used for Olympics news coverage. David Cervantes, a Colombian tourist who came across the airport protest on arrival in Rio, said he was shocked. "It's not the best welcome we could get from Rio de Janeiro, which has the reputation of being such a wonderful city," he said. "I'm not quite sure what to think." Rio mayor Eduardo Paes admits that crime has become a serious issue on the eve of the Olympics but blames the security problems on the state, not city, government. "This is the most serious issue in Rio and the state is doing a terrible, horrible job," he told CNN. In addition to violence and the effects of a bruising recession, preparations for the Rio Olympics have been plagued by Brazil's political instability and a series of corruption scandals. Huge construction companies building stadiums and other Olympic infrastructure have been implicated in a multi-billion dollar embezzlement scheme centered on state oil company Petrobras. Now police are investigating the suspected embezzlement of subsidies for Brazilian athletes, a television channel reported. The probe centers on deals signed by sports confederations and SB Marketing e Promocoes, a promotional company, the channel said in a report aired on late Sunday. The marketing firm was hired by the sports ministry to channel subsidies to fund athletes' training, worth around nine million dollars, it said. SB Marketing declined to comment on the report. (AFP)

'Welcome to Hell', protesting Rio police tell tourists

Indian badminton player Saina Nehwal is better equipped to win a medal in Rio in August than she was when she claimed a bronze at the London Olympics four years ago, according to former All England champion Prakash Padukone. 
 
Hopes that the former world number one can turn bronze into a first Olympic gold medal in the sport for her country were raised when Nehwal won the 2016 Australian Superseries title. 
 
Rio will mark a third Olympics for Nehwal, who beat former world champions Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand and Wang Yihan before overpowering China&#39;s Sun Yu in the final in Sydney. 
 
&quot;Saina has a lot more variety now,&quot; former men&#39;s world number one Padukone said in an interview. &quot;I think she plays a lot more at the net now. Earlier her game was more or less predictable. She had a few strokes, she used to keep playing them and there were not many variations. Now she has developed a lot more strokes, specially at the net. She is much more confident and that has made a big difference.&quot; 
 
The victory in Australia came at just the right time for Nehwal, who had failed to reach a World Superseries final since last November in China, and was returning from an Achilles injury she sustained at the end of last year. 
 
Padukone, who won the All England title in 1980 long before badminton was admitted to the Olympics in 1992, said the 26-year-old&#39;s game just needed a bit of tweaking. 
 
&quot;Tactically she can do a little bit more. Maybe a plan A and plan B, which I&#39;m sure she already has,&quot; said Padukone. &quot;Maybe if something doesn&#39;t work, then she has to have a different plan. It&#39;s just the question of a little bit of polishing. She definitely has everything otherwise she wouldn&#39;t have been where she is.&quot; 
 
China has long been the dominant force in the sport, sweeping all five titles at London four years ago, but their shuttlers no longer top the world rankings heading to Rio. While Malaysian Lee Chong Wei tops the men&#39;s singles rankings, Carolina Marin of Spain leads the women&#39;s list with Nehwal in sixth place. 
 
World Badminton has also limited each nation to two singles entrants in each event, down from the three at London and previous Games. Padukone feels that makes a Chinese sweep of badminton gold in Rio less likely. 
 
&quot;They are no longer the dominating force going by the results we have seen in the last 12 to 24 months,&quot; Padukone said. &quot;Earlier when the draw used to come, everybody used to hope there are no Chinese. That&#39;s no longer the case, that fear is not there anymore. That&#39;s good for the game. For the Indians, though they wouldn&#39;t say it, but it used to be a mind-block.&quot; 
 
India&#39;s best chance of medals will come in the women&#39;s singles, Padukone said, where as well as Nehwal they have PV Sindhu ranked 10th in the world. 
 
Padukone said the most important thing for the Indian shuttlers was to peak during the Rio Games. 
 
&quot;When you go there it doesn&#39;t matter if in the last two months you have beaten all the top players and you have been the world number one,&quot; Padukone said. &quot;It&#39;s important that you reach the peak and play your best during that particular week. That&#39;s what will count ultimately and will be the key.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Padukone, who won the All England title in 1980, said the 26-year-old's game just needed a bit of tweaking

Indian badminton player Saina Nehwal is better equipped to win a medal in Rio in August than she was when she claimed a bronze at the London Olympics four years ago, according to former All England champion Prakash Padukone. Hopes that the former world number one can turn bronze into a first Olympic gold medal in the sport for her country were raised when Nehwal won the 2016 Australian Superseries title. Rio will mark a third Olympics for Nehwal, who beat former world champions Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand and Wang Yihan before overpowering China's Sun Yu in the final in Sydney. "Saina has a lot more variety now," former men's world number one Padukone said in an interview. "I think she plays a lot more at the net now. Earlier her game was more or less predictable. She had a few strokes, she used to keep playing them and there were not many variations. Now she has developed a lot more strokes, specially at the net. She is much more confident and that has made a big difference." The victory in Australia came at just the right time for Nehwal, who had failed to reach a World Superseries final since last November in China, and was returning from an Achilles injury she sustained at the end of last year. Padukone, who won the All England title in 1980 long before badminton was admitted to the Olympics in 1992, said the 26-year-old's game just needed a bit of tweaking. "Tactically she can do a little bit more. Maybe a plan A and plan B, which I'm sure she already has," said Padukone. "Maybe if something doesn't work, then she has to have a different plan. It's just the question of a little bit of polishing. She definitely has everything otherwise she wouldn't have been where she is." China has long been the dominant force in the sport, sweeping all five titles at London four years ago, but their shuttlers no longer top the world rankings heading to Rio. While Malaysian Lee Chong Wei tops the men's singles rankings, Carolina Marin of Spain leads the women's list with Nehwal in sixth place. World Badminton has also limited each nation to two singles entrants in each event, down from the three at London and previous Games. Padukone feels that makes a Chinese sweep of badminton gold in Rio less likely. "They are no longer the dominating force going by the results we have seen in the last 12 to 24 months," Padukone said. "Earlier when the draw used to come, everybody used to hope there are no Chinese. That's no longer the case, that fear is not there anymore. That's good for the game. For the Indians, though they wouldn't say it, but it used to be a mind-block." India's best chance of medals will come in the women's singles, Padukone said, where as well as Nehwal they have PV Sindhu ranked 10th in the world. Padukone said the most important thing for the Indian shuttlers was to peak during the Rio Games. "When you go there it doesn't matter if in the last two months you have beaten all the top players and you have been the world number one," Padukone said. "It's important that you reach the peak and play your best during that particular week. That's what will count ultimately and will be the key." (Reuters)

Former badminton great Padukone pins Olympic medal hopes on India's Saina Nehwal

LeBron James reportedly joined an NBA All-Star lineup of talent Thursday that will not play for the United States at the Rio Olympics, while Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant will try to bring the Americans a third consecutive gold medal. 
 
A flurry of reports ahead of next week&#39;s announcement of the final US roster for Brazil was topped when Cleveland.com said James has told USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski that he will not play in August. 
 
&quot;I could use the rest,&quot; James told the website. 
 
James, who led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the greatest-ever NBA Finals comeback to dethrone the Golden State Warriors, cited the grind of having logged so much court time through six consecutive trips to the finals. 
 
NBA Most Valuable Player and scoring leader Stephen Curry of Golden State said during the finals that he would not play in Rio. 
 
Star guards Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City, Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers and James Harden of Houston also have backed out of consideration, as have San Antonio forward LaMarcus Aldridge, Washington forward John Wall, Clippers forward Blake Griffin and Anthony Davis of New Orleans. 
 
Joining that group Thursday were Portland&#39;s Damian Lillard, who wants to rehabilitate a plantar fascitis injury; Utah forward Gordon Hayward and San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard. 
 
The pullout brings back memories of 2004, when security worries were a concern in the Athens run-up and many top names withdrew. Those who played could only muster bronze. 
 
The roster to be named next week by USA Basketball is expected to include Oklahoma City star Durant and New York playmaker Anthony plus Indiana&#39;s Paul George, Golden State&#39;s Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, Sacramento&#39;s DeMarcus Cousins, Chicagos Jimmy Butler, the Clippers&#39; DeAndre Jordan, and Toronto&#39;s Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. Two other available spots could include Cleveland star guard Kyrie Irving, who played a key role alongside James in bringing the first sports title to Cleveland since 1964. 
 
A source told the website a desire to rest his body from the title run to better prepare his bid to defend the crown was his only reason for not playing in Rio, the Zika virus not playing a role in his decision. 
 
James, 31, sparked the US squad of NBA stars to gold medals at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. He is the US team&#39;s all-time scoring leader with 273 points and second in total rebounds with 95. 
 
He was also a reserve on the 2004 US team that settled for bronze at Athens and on the US team that finished third at the 2010 world championships in Japan. 
 
&quot;King&quot; James is one of three men to play on three Olympic basketball teams and in 2012, he became one of the select few to win an NBA crown and Olympic gold in the same year. 
 
(AFP)

Cleveland.com said James has told USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski that he will not play in August

LeBron James reportedly joined an NBA All-Star lineup of talent Thursday that will not play for the United States at the Rio Olympics, while Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant will try to bring the Americans a third consecutive gold medal. A flurry of reports ahead of next week's announcement of the final US roster for Brazil was topped when Cleveland.com said James has told USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski that he will not play in August. "I could use the rest," James told the website. James, who led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the greatest-ever NBA Finals comeback to dethrone the Golden State Warriors, cited the grind of having logged so much court time through six consecutive trips to the finals. NBA Most Valuable Player and scoring leader Stephen Curry of Golden State said during the finals that he would not play in Rio. Star guards Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City, Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers and James Harden of Houston also have backed out of consideration, as have San Antonio forward LaMarcus Aldridge, Washington forward John Wall, Clippers forward Blake Griffin and Anthony Davis of New Orleans. Joining that group Thursday were Portland's Damian Lillard, who wants to rehabilitate a plantar fascitis injury; Utah forward Gordon Hayward and San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard. The pullout brings back memories of 2004, when security worries were a concern in the Athens run-up and many top names withdrew. Those who played could only muster bronze. The roster to be named next week by USA Basketball is expected to include Oklahoma City star Durant and New York playmaker Anthony plus Indiana's Paul George, Golden State's Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins, Chicagos Jimmy Butler, the Clippers' DeAndre Jordan, and Toronto's Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. Two other available spots could include Cleveland star guard Kyrie Irving, who played a key role alongside James in bringing the first sports title to Cleveland since 1964. A source told the website a desire to rest his body from the title run to better prepare his bid to defend the crown was his only reason for not playing in Rio, the Zika virus not playing a role in his decision. James, 31, sparked the US squad of NBA stars to gold medals at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. He is the US team's all-time scoring leader with 273 points and second in total rebounds with 95. He was also a reserve on the 2004 US team that settled for bronze at Athens and on the US team that finished third at the 2010 world championships in Japan. "King" James is one of three men to play on three Olympic basketball teams and in 2012, he became one of the select few to win an NBA crown and Olympic gold in the same year. (AFP)

LeBron out, Carmelo in for US team at Rio Olympics

A jaguar trotted out for the Olympic torch&#39;s passage through Brazil&#39;s Amazon was killed shortly afterward when it escaped its handlers and threatened a vet, the Brazilian military said on Tuesday. 
 
The feline - whose species is the symbol of the Amazon - was shot dead in the northern city of Manaus on Monday soon after it was photographed with the torch passing by. An attempt to use tranquilizer darts on it failed. 
 
&quot;It escaped and ran off as it was being moved from one area to another in the zoo,&quot; said Colonel Luiz Gustavo Evelyn, whose unit is deployed in the region. 
 
He explained that, once located, the jaguar was hit by four tranquilizer darts. But they did not slow it down and it turned on a veterinarian, forcing the soldiers to use bullets. 
 
&quot;To protect the handler, it was sacrificed,&quot; Evelyn said. 
 
The organizing committee of the Rio Games said it was &quot;very unhappy&quot; about the jaguar&#39;s killing. 
 
&quot;We erred by allowing the Olympic torch, a symbol of peace and union among people, to be displayed next to a chained wild animal. That contradicts our beliefs and values,&quot; the committee said in a statement to AFP. 
 
&quot;We are very unhappy with the outcome. We guarantee there won&#39;t be more situations like this in the 2016 Rio Games.&quot; 
 
The animal, a 17-year-old female named Juma, had been raised since it was a cub and was kept in the military-run zoo in the Amazon with half a dozen siblings. 
 
Just before its escape, Juma and another jaguar had been exhibited as the Olympic torch crossing Brazil passed through the zoo on its way to Rio de Janeiro, which is hosting the Games due to start on August 5. 
 
&quot;Unfortunately, this occurred the day of the torch&#39;s passage,&quot; Evelyn said. &quot;The animal participated in the event because the torch went through the zoo.&quot; 
 
He added that Juma was not a wild animal, having been raised in captivity, and called its death &quot;very sad&quot;. 
 
The military has opened an investigation into the incident. 
 
A US-based animal rights group decried the jaguar&#39;s &quot;needless death&quot;. 
 
&quot;Wild animals held captive and forced to do things that are frightening, sometimes painful and always unnatural are ticking time bombs - our actions put them and humans at risk,&quot; Brittany Peet of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said in a statement. 
 
The jaguar is the biggest feline in the Americas. It can weigh up to 135 kilograms and is in danger of extinction. 
 
(AFP)

The 17-year-old feline named Juma, whose species faces extinction, escaped and was put down after being unphased by four tranquilizer darts

A jaguar trotted out for the Olympic torch's passage through Brazil's Amazon was killed shortly afterward when it escaped its handlers and threatened a vet, the Brazilian military said on Tuesday. The feline - whose species is the symbol of the Amazon - was shot dead in the northern city of Manaus on Monday soon after it was photographed with the torch passing by. An attempt to use tranquilizer darts on it failed. "It escaped and ran off as it was being moved from one area to another in the zoo," said Colonel Luiz Gustavo Evelyn, whose unit is deployed in the region. He explained that, once located, the jaguar was hit by four tranquilizer darts. But they did not slow it down and it turned on a veterinarian, forcing the soldiers to use bullets. "To protect the handler, it was sacrificed," Evelyn said. The organizing committee of the Rio Games said it was "very unhappy" about the jaguar's killing. "We erred by allowing the Olympic torch, a symbol of peace and union among people, to be displayed next to a chained wild animal. That contradicts our beliefs and values," the committee said in a statement to AFP. "We are very unhappy with the outcome. We guarantee there won't be more situations like this in the 2016 Rio Games." The animal, a 17-year-old female named Juma, had been raised since it was a cub and was kept in the military-run zoo in the Amazon with half a dozen siblings. Just before its escape, Juma and another jaguar had been exhibited as the Olympic torch crossing Brazil passed through the zoo on its way to Rio de Janeiro, which is hosting the Games due to start on August 5. "Unfortunately, this occurred the day of the torch's passage," Evelyn said. "The animal participated in the event because the torch went through the zoo." He added that Juma was not a wild animal, having been raised in captivity, and called its death "very sad". The military has opened an investigation into the incident. A US-based animal rights group decried the jaguar's "needless death". "Wild animals held captive and forced to do things that are frightening, sometimes painful and always unnatural are ticking time bombs - our actions put them and humans at risk," Brittany Peet of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said in a statement. The jaguar is the biggest feline in the Americas. It can weigh up to 135 kilograms and is in danger of extinction. (AFP)

Jaguar photographed in Olympic torch event shot dead in Brazil

President Vladimir Putin on Friday condemned as &quot;unfair&quot; the International Associations of Athletic Federations&#39; decision to extend a ban on the doping-tainted Russian athletics federation, saying he hoped a solution could be found to allow &quot;clean&quot; athletes to compete in the Olympic Games. 
 
&quot;Of course it&#39;s unfair,&quot; Putin said during a meeting with journalists. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m assuming that we&#39;ll have a discussion with our colleagues in the World Anti-Doping Agency and I hope a reaction from the International Olympic Committee,&quot; he said of a decision which will prevent Russian athletes from competing in the Rio Olympics in August. 
 
Putin was speaking after the IAAF Council voted unanimously in Vienna to extend a ban on the Russian athletics federation from international competition, but left the door ajar for some track and field stars to compete in the Rio Games as neutrals. 
 
&quot;Responsibility must always be individual and those who have no connection with these violations should not suffer,&quot; said the Russian president who, even before the announcement of the decision, had denied all allegations of &quot;organised stage doping&quot; by Russia. 
 
&quot;We ourselves are outraged when we&#39;re faced with doping problems, and we work to ensure that those guilty are punished. But the clean athletes, as they say, why should they suffer? I really don&#39;t understand,&quot; said Putin. 
 
&quot;I hope we find a solution, but that does not mean that we&#39;re going to be offended and say that we&#39;re not going to fight against doping. On the contrary, we&#39;re going to strengthen our fight against doping.&quot; 
 
The IAAF imposed the initial ban on Russia in November over state-sponsored doping and mass corruption, and first extended it in March on the grounds that the criteria set for reinclusion had not been met. 
 
Russia has over the past few months attempted to convince the IAAF that they are conforming to WADA requirements and deserve to return to the world athletics fold. 
 
In recent weeks, Russia has announced the introduction of new anti-doping measures, and recruited &quot;50 foreign specialists&quot; to tighten controls for athletes wishing to participate in the Olympics. 
 
&quot;For the past six months, samples of our athletes have been analysed by foreign specialists. And these samples were analysed in foreign laboratories. Should we not trust them?&quot; asked Putin. 
 
In a damning verdict, the IAAF said on Friday that the Russian federation was &quot;at least 18-24 months away from returning to full operational compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code&quot;. 
(AFP)

Ban continued because of country's state-sponsored doping and mass corruption; Russia will not be going to the Rio Olympics

President Vladimir Putin on Friday condemned as "unfair" the International Associations of Athletic Federations' decision to extend a ban on the doping-tainted Russian athletics federation, saying he hoped a solution could be found to allow "clean" athletes to compete in the Olympic Games. "Of course it's unfair," Putin said during a meeting with journalists. "I'm assuming that we'll have a discussion with our colleagues in the World Anti-Doping Agency and I hope a reaction from the International Olympic Committee," he said of a decision which will prevent Russian athletes from competing in the Rio Olympics in August. Putin was speaking after the IAAF Council voted unanimously in Vienna to extend a ban on the Russian athletics federation from international competition, but left the door ajar for some track and field stars to compete in the Rio Games as neutrals. "Responsibility must always be individual and those who have no connection with these violations should not suffer," said the Russian president who, even before the announcement of the decision, had denied all allegations of "organised stage doping" by Russia. "We ourselves are outraged when we're faced with doping problems, and we work to ensure that those guilty are punished. But the clean athletes, as they say, why should they suffer? I really don't understand," said Putin. "I hope we find a solution, but that does not mean that we're going to be offended and say that we're not going to fight against doping. On the contrary, we're going to strengthen our fight against doping." The IAAF imposed the initial ban on Russia in November over state-sponsored doping and mass corruption, and first extended it in March on the grounds that the criteria set for reinclusion had not been met. Russia has over the past few months attempted to convince the IAAF that they are conforming to WADA requirements and deserve to return to the world athletics fold. In recent weeks, Russia has announced the introduction of new anti-doping measures, and recruited "50 foreign specialists" to tighten controls for athletes wishing to participate in the Olympics. "For the past six months, samples of our athletes have been analysed by foreign specialists. And these samples were analysed in foreign laboratories. Should we not trust them?" asked Putin. In a damning verdict, the IAAF said on Friday that the Russian federation was "at least 18-24 months away from returning to full operational compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code". (AFP)

'Of course it's unfair': Putin says after IAAF extends ban on Russia's athletics federation

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