Russian doping whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova has become the first athlete to be cleared to compete at the Rio Olympics under a neutral flag.
Stepanova’s evidence helped expose state-backed doping in Russia, which led to the country being banned from international athletics last November.
That ban was maintained last month by the IAAF, who said they would allow Russian athletes to compete in Rio only under “exceptional eligibility” rules.
Today, they granted 800metre runner Stepanova that permission and also cleared her to race in the European Championships in Amsterdam next week.
In February 2013, Stepanova was given a two-year ban for doping and both her and husband Vitaly Stepanov, a drug-testing official, later revealed to the World Anti Doping Agency investigation the shocking level of cheating among Russian athletes.
The IAAF said: “Stepanova has made a truly exceptional contribution to the protection and promotion of clean athletes, fair play and the integrity and authenticity of the sport.”
The governing body are allowing individuals to compete as neutral athletes if they can show they have been regularly tested by a reliable agency. The measure is aimed largely at Russians who have been based abroad and few are likely to be eligible.
More than 80 Russian athletes have applied for permission. The deadline to apply is Monday, with a decision on all claims by July 18, three weeks before the athletics starts in Rio.
