Russia says 271-strong team will be cleanest at Rio (Reuters)

By Jack Stubbs RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Russia will be represented in most sports at the Rio Olympics, with 271 of its sportsmen and women cleared to participate ahead of the opening ceremony, Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) head Alexander Zhukov said on Thursday. Russian boxers, judokas and shooters were among those given last-minute approval by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the aftermath of a doping scandal which has tarnished Russia’s reputation as a sporting superpower and threatened to split the Olympic movement. Russia’s depleted team will comprise about 70 percent of the 387-strong squad originally named for the Games.