The IOC says Russian and Kenyan athletes will be evaluated individually to determine their eligibility to compete. A ban was upheld against Russian track and field, but not for the whole Russian Olympic team.

IOC President Thomas Bach said “clean” athletes are allowed to compete under the Russian flag in Rio and if the IAAF allows “special clearance” for any Russian track and field athletes, they will compete under the Russian flag, not under an Olympic or neutral one flag.

“If athletes qualified then they will compete as the members of the team of the Russian Olympic Committee because only a national Olympic committee can enter athletes to the Olympic Games… Contrary to the national federation of track and field the Russian Olympic Committee is not suspended.”

#IOC president Thomas Bach says that any Russian athletes competing at #Rio2016 would do so under the Russian flag — Athletics Weekly (@AthleticsWeekly) June 21, 2016

This may pave the way for various Russian track and field stars to compete in the games.

BREAKING: Russian athletes must be evaluated individually to determine eligibility – IOC https://t.co/hXhJECTwFL pic.twitter.com/a3ujF1p074 — RT Sport (@rtsportnews) June 21, 2016

The IOC did make a statement saying it supports the ruling by the IAAF on the disqualification of Russian athletes on doping charges so as to not completely throw the IAAF under the bus. Bach said…

“The Summit confirmed the respect and the approval and the support for the decision having been taken by IAAF last Friday.”

No doubt the IOC’s decisions is a little bit of justice and sanity in what si fast becoming an insanely politicized sporting world. Yes I know some Russian athletes were caught doping…but so were these athletes from their respective countries, but you did not see the IOC almost ban the entire country, or the IAAF ban the entire Track and Field team.

This is a list of Olympic medals stripped by the IOC, the governing body of the Olympics (via Wikipedia):

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