Russia's national athletic federation (ARAF) has published a list of the 68 track-and-field athletes who have applied for permission to compete at next month's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro despite an Olympic ban over widespread doping and signs of Russian state involvement in thwarting such tests.

Reuters

The list of applicants includes world champion hurdler Sergey Shubenkov, long-jumper Darya Klishina, and pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva.



The announcement comes as Russia faces an unprecedentedly broad ban on athletes in these Olympics, the result of multiple investigations and eyewitness accounts -- including from Russian athletes and former anti-doping officials -- asserting systematic efforts by Russian authorities to defeat the system against cheaters.



The track-and-field applications are now in the hands of the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland, which set up a fast track for the Russian rulings and expects to decide by July 21, just two weeks before Opening Ceremonies in Rio.

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