IOC to study Stepanova bid to compete at Rio

The International Olympic Committee's ethics commission is to study whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova's possible inclusion at the Rio Games next month. Stepanova had earlier written to the IOC asking for the right to compete as a neutral in Rio.

Stepanova suffered an injury in the European championship and was later disqualified.

The International Olympic Committee's ethics commission is to study whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova's possible inclusion at the Rio Games, the IOC said on Thursday.

It comes after an IAAF doping review board said Stepanova was eligible to compete as a neutral - rather than for her native Russia - "having made a truly exceptional contribution to the protection and promotion of clean athletes, fair play and the integrity and authenticity of the sport".

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Stepanova wrote to the IOC on Tuesday asking for the right to compete as a neutral in Rio and the 800m runner will have the opportunity for a hearing within the ethics commission's deliberations. "According to the IAAF criteria, such a participation is always subject to the rules of the organiser of the relevant international competition - in this case it is therefore subject to the Olympic Charter," the IOC said in a statement.

The 30-year-old took part as a neutral at the European championship in Amsterdam, but tore a ligament in her foot and was later disqualified from her heat.

Stepanova and her husband Vitaly made the sensational revelations of state-sponsored doping in Russian athletics, which was found to be linked to widespread corruption at the heart of the IAAF.