Darya Klishina wins exemption to compete in Rio as neutral athlete
By Ben Reynolds
Last Updated: 10/07/16 2:12pm
Russian long jumper Darya Klishina has been granted permission to compete at the Rio Olympics as a neutral athlete.
Klishina is the second Russian athlete to be given an exemption from the IAAF ban on Russian track and field athletes at the Olympics following 800m runner Yuliya Stepanova, who will compete under the neutral flag having helped uncover systematic doping among her country's athletes.
Stepanova is still waiting for IOC approval and is to appear before an ethics committee before her place is confirmed.
Klishina will likely need to do the same after the IAAF were satisfied that she has been the subject of reliable drug-testing outside Russia.
Klishina said in a post on her official Facebook page she was "really happy" with the IAAF's decision.
She added: "I appreciate every effort of IMG Academy and its staff to create the best possible, safe and clean environment for me."
However, Klishina's is the only application to have been approved by the IAAF's Doping Review Board after confirmation from the All-Russian Athletics Federation that 67 athletes, including pole vault great Yelena Isinbayeva, had failed in their appeals.
"The rest of the 67 athletes who have been approved by the ARAF's board as they have fulfilled the federation's criteria to compete in the Olympics have been refused," ARAF said on its website.
