Russia’s depleted Olympic team heads for Rio de Janeiro (Yahoo Sports)

A much-depleted Russian team has departed for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, missing dozens of athletes who were excluded amid the country’s doping scandal. Team members left on a charter flight Thursday from Moscow’s Sheremetevo airport to Brazil, a day after an emotional farewell ceremony with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. More than 100 athletes from what was originally a 387-strong team have been barred from competing in Rio by international sports federations under sanctions which most Russian athletes consider unfair.