FINA to Make Decision on Suspended Russian Swimmers in Coming Hours

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The International Swimming Federation (FINA) is due to decide whether to clear Russian swimmers Nikita Lobintsev and Vladimir Morozov for the upcoming 2016 Rio Games, the decision will be made in the coming hours, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said Saturday.

On Tuesday, FINA declared seven Russian swimmers ineligible to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games as the athletes were mentioned in the World Anti-Doping Agency's report by Richard McLaren. Following the announcement, Morozov sent an open letter addressed to the FINA president Julio Maglione, in which he stated that he was a doping free athlete and asked to reconsider his case.

"As of today, out of 34 sports organized by 28 federations, we will be in 29 sports. All international federations have made their minds and went through the list of athletes, made a decision… There is a decision aside for the water sports. There is an ongoing debate. By night we will know exactly on swimming, we had 35 on our list and 28 later. The International Federation has not decided so far," Mutko told R-Sport news agency in a phone call.

Morozov is a bronze medalist of the London Olympic Games. Lobintsev won the silver medal in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and a bronze medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay at the 2012 Olympics in London.