Russian Whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova Set To Compete at Rio 2016 Under Neutral Flag

Russian whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova has been given the green light to compete at Rio 2016, after the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ruled that she should be allowed to participate under a neutral flag.

The IAAF recently voted to uphold a global ban on the All-Russia Athletic Federation, essentially barring Russian athletes from competing at international events except in special circumstances. This comes after evidence of systematic, state-sponsored doping in Russian athletics, as attested by an independent report from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Stepanova played a crucial part in exposing the full extent of the doping scandal in Russia, after participating in an investigative German television documentary in 2014. The evidence of systematic doping which came to light in that documentary played a huge part in the subsequent inquest into Russian athletics, and Russia's eventual ban.

Stepanova was herself encouraged to dope by national coaches, and provided with ways to cheat the anti-doping system. She became a whistleblower after receiving a ban for abnormalities with her biological passport, which led to her emigrating from Russia for Germany, and then the USA, with her husband Vitaly, a former official in the Russian Anti-Doping Agency.

Despite the global ban on the All-Russia Athletic Federation, individual Russian athletes are still allowed to compete at Rio 2016 as long as the IAAF can prove that they are clean. Potential participants have to email the IAAF's general secretary, and provide documents showing clean anti-doping records that can be verified by credible agencies.

Now, The Guardian report that Stepanova has become the first athlete to pass the "exceptional eligibility" guidelines outlined by the IAAF's Doping Review Board. Consequently, she will be able to compete at Rio 2016 as a neutral athlete, and take part in her favoured 800m event.

The IAAF has released an official statement on its website, which reads: "The Doping Review Board… has unanimously accepted the application of Yuliya Stepanova… as someone who has made a truly exceptional contribution to the protection and promotion of clean athletes, fair play and the integrity and authenticity of the sport. Ms Stepanova is now eligible to compete in International Competitions as an independent, neutral athlete."

It goes on to confirm that the IAAF has received over 80 applications from Russia athletes seeking "exceptional eligibility to compete in an individual capacity" at the Olympics. The IAAF adds that "these further applications are being checked against the Guidelines issued by the IAAF last week and, if they are in the correct form, they too will be referred to the Doping Review Board for a decision on exceptional eligibility."