MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Banning all Russian athletes from the 2016 Olympics in Rio breaches human rights and contradicts the very basis of the Olympic movement, Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, said in a statement adopted on Tuesday.
"Repressions against athletes who have never been involved in foul play are, according to the State Duma, not only an unfair decision, but also undermine the basic principle of the Olympic movement," the statement reads.
"Banning Russian athletes — including those who have gained worldwide fame for their outstanding achievements in sport — from taking part in the XXXI Summer Olympics in retaliation for the behavior of their dishonest colleagues is a direct violation of human rights," Russian lawmakers argued.
