Russians lose track appeal; IOC to weigh total ban for Rio

LONDON (AP) — Now that Russian track and field athletes have failed in their effort to have their Olympic ban overturned, it's up to the IOC to decide whether to kick the entire Russian team out of the games that begin in Rio de Janeiro in 15 days.

In another blow to the image of the sports superpower, the highest court in sports today dismissed an appeal by 68 Russian track athletes of the ban imposed by the IAAF after allegations of systematic and state-sponsored doping.

Sports officials in Moscow condemned the ruling as "political," and said some athletes might take their case to civil courts. Two-time Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva said the Rio Games will be devalued, with only "pseudo-gold medals" available.

In its ruling, the Court of Arbitration for Sport found that track and field's world governing body, the IAAF, had properly applied its own rules in keeping the Russians out of the games that begin Aug. 5.

The three-man panel ruled that the Russian Olympic Committee "is not entitled to nominate Russian track and field athletes to compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games considering that they are not eligible to participate under the IAAF competition rules."

The Russians had argued against a collective ban, saying it punishes those athletes who have not been accused of wrongdoing.